


Alien Intimacies

by GalacticAvatar



Series: Alien Intimacy [1]
Category: Aliens (1986), Predator (1987)
Genre: Action & Romance, Aliens, Androids, Blood and Gore, Boot Worship, Death, Erotic, F/M, Interspecies Romance, Interspecies Sex, Light BDSM, Love, Love Confessions, Science Fiction, Sex, Violence, Xenomorph - Freeform, Xenomorphs (Alien), Yautja, alien - Freeform, colonial marine, predator - Freeform, space
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-27
Updated: 2020-10-28
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:20:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 23
Words: 82,416
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27227194
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GalacticAvatar/pseuds/GalacticAvatar
Summary: Five years after arriving on their new world, the adventure of Joshua and Ellen Briggs continues.
Relationships: Xenomorph (Alien Movies)/Original Character(s), Yautja (Predator)/Original Character(s)
Series: Alien Intimacy [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1987849
Kudos: 17





	1. The Hunter and the Hunted

**Author's Note:**

> Alien Intimacy - https://tinyurl.com/yawrxuyn  
> Kaktus & GalacticAvatar

_“This will be an easy kill,”_ the huntress thought as she observed the lone human wanderer from on high amidst the canopy of blood-red leaves and twisting tree branches. _“Too easy, perhaps. But at the end of the day, a victory is a victory.”_ Shrouded in silence and steeled with determination, the huntress continued to stalk him, study him, and bide her sweet time for the opportune moment to strike. 

The bearded man below was clad in a furry brown poncho, well-worn combat boots, and was using a long, winding tree branch as a walking staff. With the planet’s increased gravity and the gunshot wound in his leg causing him great difficulty walking, it was more than just comforting to carry the makeshift crutch with him to help support his weight. A few other trinkets dangled and clattered about his person: a leather drinking flask, pouches for food and other findings, an intimidating dagger that was clearly hand-carved from bone, a few plants he’d discovered to have medicinal properties, and a holster carrying a metallic grey Glock 41. A decade of military training had taught him to be prepared for anything, and on this hostile alien world, “anything” happened with alarming regularity. 

Around this time of the year, the planet would become unbearably-hot, and on this particular day, the man was certainly feeling the heat. A sudden cascade of shrieks and cries filled the humid air of the eerie and claustrophobic jungle: the calls and rustlings of the alien wildlife that were entirely different from the fauna he'd read about on Earth, causing him to stop dead in his tracks and place his hand atop his trusty firearm. He stared up at the crimson canopy of leaves above him that provided at least some comforting respite from the mercilessly-blazing sun.

“This fucking place gives me the creeps. I swear the trees are watching me.” With his instincts remaining ever-vigilant, he assumed that he was in no immediate danger and cautiously took his hand away from his gun to wipe his sweaty face with his sleeve. Sighing with exhaustion, he resumed his long and arduous journey. "Where are you?" he whispered to himself. "I know you're around here somewhere. Here, kitty-kitty..."   
  
His one-and-only eye was then drawn to a nearby puddle, wherein he noticed several small bubbles rising to the surface and popping out of existence. There! It had to be. Gripping his staff tightly, the man slowly crept forward, carefully trying to keep the sound of his footsteps to a minimum. As quickly as he could, he plunged his hand deep into the murky water and forcefully yanked out a creature that looked like a large oyster with crustacean-like appendages. “Gotcha!” 

With the captured crustacean flailing helplessly in his hand, the man unsheathed his dagger and firmly pushed it through the tight seal between the two half-shells of its body. "You’re a tough little bastard," he grunted as he continued to twist and pry the mantles apart. After a few more moments of firm-yet-delicate levering, the creature finally relented, opening wide to reveal its hidden pearlescent treasure within. There it was: sitting atop the mollusc’s inner-flesh gleamed a completely flawless pearl. Humming to himself in triumph, he promptly removed it in order to get a better look at it.   
  
"Excellent size. This should finally be enough," he said, fully-satisfied with his find before safely storing the majestic sphere away into one of his pouches. “There you go, little buddy. I’m not going to eat’cha,” he said with a slight chuckle in his voice, amused by the crustacean’s desperately-wriggling legs. Gently, he closed the creature's shells back up and then lowered it into the puddle from whence it came. “Besides, I hate seafood.”   
  
_Now!_

The patient hunter lunged down from the canopy directly above the man with a shrieking war cry. The man, however, swiftly dodged out of her trajectory, and using his long wooden staff, he delivered a firm smack to her backside that sent the would-be assassin cartwheeling into another nearby puddle with a mighty splosh. Confused and disoriented as to what just happened, the assailant shook her dripping head and gazed up at him as he towered over her, an expression of triumph etched across his bearded face.   
  
“Ow!” she groaned. “What the hell was that?!”  
  
“Your mental chatter is so loud, you might as well have been shouting up there,” he said with a shit-eating grin. "What are you even doing this far away from the ship, young lady?"   
  
“I almost had you this time! It’s not fair!” The young girl shouted up at him in protest, her mouth pursed in an obvious pout. “You and Mom have psychic powers!”  
  
“I told you before, we’re not psychic. Well, not in the traditional sense of the word, I think. Your mother and I simply developed some kind of telepathic link that we use to communicate with each-other. It also lets us know where you and your brother are and how you’re feeling. Stuff like that,” the man explained, and not for the first time.  
  
“Whatever! It’s still cheating,” she whined, rubbing not only her bruised buttocks but her bruised ego as well.   
  
"Ariana, you can't expect every quarry you face to play by your rules. Someday, you'll meet an opponent that’s bigger and meaner than a Gruffalo and it won't go easy on you just to keep the playing field level. If you want to become a better huntress, you'll need to learn how to adapt, improvise, and overcome,” the man grinned and gave his daughter a little shrug. “Besides, it’s not cheating to use your natural abilities."   
  
"I'll get you one of these days, Dad! I swear you're going down!" 

The man let out a hearty laugh. "I'm sure you will - in a few years when I'm old and grey. Then you can proudly tell everyone about how you beat up an old, half-blind man with a gimp leg."   
  
"How did you even get that ability in the first place? It doesn’t make any sense! Humans aren't psychic."   
  
"It’s… complicated," he said with a hint of embarrassment in his tone. "I'll tell you more about it when you're bigger - which might be by next week at the rate you and your brother are growing." 

"Hmph!" Ariana turned her head away and sulked, crossing her muddy arms like a petulant child. 

"That attitude definitely comes from your mother's side,” he said with a smirk, unable to deny just how adorable he thought she was, especially in this state. “Now, c’mon. Get back up on your feet, soldier. Best we head back to the ship before it gets dark. Not even your mother would want to mess with the things that come out at night around here."


	2. Family Bond

Hidden inside of a distant nebula of swirling iridescent purples and electric blues was a ferociously-overgrown jungle planet named Xenosis. It was only slightly larger than Mars, but far more dense, which gave it a gravity well that surpassed even Earth’s. Beautiful as it was dangerous, the planet was saturated in various shades of fire, and when the golden-orange sun climbed its way around the disc of the horizon, the entire planet glowed as if it had been set ablaze. 

Glittering deserts bore witness to raging storms of glass, where the winds were so wild that it rained nearly sideways. Bottomless oceans reflected, mirror-like, the golden skies above that teemed with all manner of alien life. Strange, red crystalline structures jutted from the surface of the planet abruptly, like horns form the skin of some great and strange beast, and deep inside of the crystals a faint red light pulsed like a heart. Endless fields of amber. Jungles were the color of blood and bone, with startlingly crimson leaves sprouting from trees that were white like bleach, and so smooth that they seemed nearly polished. Overseeing the jungles were ancient and massive monoliths that spiraled upwards in a helix shape, visible from any spot in the jungle and almost across half the entire planet, truth be told, as the enormous structures went up, and up, until they left the atmosphere entirely and finally ended at the planet’s ringed moon. Like an anchor, it held the great satellite in place, and now the planet and moon were locked in a perfectly synchronized, tidally-locked, artificial orbit until the end of time.  
  
One of Xenosis’s few sentient inhabitants was a human male: Joshua Briggs, as he was known. A former colonial marine who got himself summarily demoted to glorified babysitter at Weyland-Yutani’s bio-weapons division, and tasked with keeping a watchful eye over one of their most valued assets: a genetically-modified xenomorph born with the unique capacity for verbal communication. After a few tedious months of being isolated with it, or rather, her, they began to develop a very close relationship, and pretty soon their initial feelings of distrust and hostility were replaced with something more... intimate.  
  
When their affections blossomed into _amour_ , Joshua decided to hatch a daring - albeit, completely improvised - escape plan to steal his beloved away from the Company and their inhumane experiments. One intense and near-fatal battle led to another, but eventually both he and his xenomorphic lover managed to overpower their enemies and escape their oppressors, arriving safely at their new haven world.   
  
Five years, by Earth-standard, had passed since they first set foot on their new world. Their ship, the Costaguana, was tethered permanently just on the outskirts of a jungle by the shore and had since become increasingly ensnared by the near-unbreakable vines that grew rapidly and acted as a natural anchor for the vessel. As he came out of the jungle, he could see the front ramp down, making an inviting entrance to the ship, while outside of the ramp there was a primitive clothesline construction, where various clothes and animal skins billowed softly in the breeze. Some domesticated local animals were milling about in their pen, chewing yellow grass and lowing to each other calmly, and outside of their pen was an increasingly large pile of white firewood was stacking up, ready for the winter. It was all a strangely domestic sight, amongst the savagery of the rest of the planet.  
  
Joshua was slumped in a wooden chair, basking in the hot sun and allowing it to darken his already impressive tan. He was gazing out towards the calm ocean water at his beloved wife, his dark angel, Ellen, as she gracefully swam through the water like a slick, black eel. Her elongated head and the four long dorsal spines on her back sliced along the surface like a shark’s fin. He smiled in admiration as her smooth, curvaceous form swayed sexily through the water before she fully submerged - though not without deliberately flashing her glossy rear in his direction and flicking water at him with her long, bladed tail. He laughed as he tried to shield himself from the cold spray that showered him.  
  
Time had marched on, as time does, and yet she looked just as young and magnificent as the day he’d first seen her way back when on the Company ship. Age clearly carried a different meaning for xenomorphs than for humans. Joshua, on the other hand, had grown slightly weathered over the years. He had grown out his hair and beard and fashioned himself a leather eye patch to hide his disfigurement. Coupled with the homemade leather and fur clothing he’d tailored to replace the thoroughly worn-out military fatigues, he looked more like an old hermit than the reasonably well-kempt marine of his youth.  
  
Human appearances mattered nothing to Ellen. She loved him with all of her heart and soul, and would often enjoy combing through his hair with her long, sharp fingernails. His dream of a loving family and a home by the sea had come true - albeit not quite as he had expected it. He leaned his head back and looked up toward the sky to admire the beautiful alien birds that dominated it. He held in his hand a glass containing an ice-cold cocktail of various fruit juices. Nothing on Earth came close to the refreshing taste of this nectar of the gods, he thought. He raised the glass of reddish liquid in the air and made a toast to a dear old friend, far far away.

“Here’s to you, Sammy. Wherever you are, I’m always thinking of you.”  
  
The blazing, unrelenting sun was now directly overhead. “Man, it's hotter than an Arizona barbecue. Should have called this planet, ‘Satan’s Asshole After Curry Night’,” he joked to himself as the sweat poured off his sweltering body. At least his sense of humor hadn’t changed over the last few years. Ellen resurfaced with a splash, her face pulled into a smile as she dragged behind her an enormous shark-like creature by its tail.

“That’s dinner sorted out for tonight, I suppose,” he said with a deep sigh, his displeasure for the choice of food obvious in his tone. “I really hate seafood.”  
  
● ● ●  
  
Dinnertime in the Briggs household was a tradition Joshua was adamant about preserving every night. They’d sit around a large, round table in the ship's mess hall and partake in the meals Elle had hunted and Josh had prepared in the galley. Conversation often revolved around the activities they’d all been up to throughout the day, which was more or less the same thing they did every day. Regardless, Josh wasn't concerned about the repetition of the subject matter, he simply enjoyed being in the company of his family.  
  
It had only been five years and yet both children had grown exponentially in that short span of time. If he didn’t know better, Joshua would probably peg them for teenagers. He knew full well that xenomorphs grew from “chestburster” to adulthood virtually overnight, so he naturally concluded that genetic trait also carried over to them.   
  
Ariana was the younger one of the siblings. She was only two years old, but already possessed the body, mind and snotty-attitude of a thirteen-year-old. She had taken after her mother and wanted to be like her more than anything else, even if it meant forsaking her own humanity. Her obsessive passion for all things related to hunting, fighting and killing had most certainly been passed down from the xenomorph side, though, admittedly, she wasn’t particularly good at any of it. What she lacked in talent however, she more than made up for in enthusiasm, which slightly unnerved her father. 

Appearance-wise, she looked like a regular teenage girl. With straight, jet black hair that came down to her lower back, and porcelain-white skin one could’ve compared her to a carefully crafted doll She also happened to inherit a long, slender tail with the signature serrated blade at the tip, sharp talon-like nails, and pointed teeth that distorted the innocent teenager look a little. Unlike her mother, though, she was dressed in finely handmade leather clothes and boots, fashioned from various animal hides. No child of Joshua’s, alien or otherwise, was going to be seen wandering around naked.  
  
Christopher, so-named after Joshua’s late father, was much quieter and insular than his younger sister. Whilst Ariana relished in physical, outdoor activities, Christopher preferred to study and meditate in quiet solitude in the ship's library. For a boy as young as he was, he was already intellectually brilliant, with an insatiable hunger for knowledge and learning. If there had been a school on this planet, he surely would have aced every class. Just like his mother, all he needed were a few sounds or symbols and he could speak any language fluently as if it were his native tongue. He already spoke enough languages to be considered a hyper polyglot. If he kept going the way he did, Joshua thought, he could very well become the smartest person to ever live in this galaxy. Not a bad legacy to leave behind.  
  
With an appearance that resembled that of a sixteen-year-old human, he was almost the spitting image of his father. He wasn’t quite as tall as his father, and he didn’t possess a tail, claws, or sharp fangs, but his body was certainly more xenomorphic in appearance, particularly his protruding ribcage. The only other trait he’d inherited from his mother was her incredible strength. He could rip a tree right out of the ground with his bare hands if he were inclined to do so. Another gift that Joshua thought was being criminally underutilized.  
  
Ellen didn’t mind at all that her children bore little resemblance to herself. Considering that she wasn't a pure-blooded xenomorph anyway, but rather a genetically-altered hybrid combining human and alien DNA that had been matured in a laboratory, she wasn’t surprised that their xenomorphic aspects would be diluted. To her, they were the most beautiful creatures in the entire universe and she wouldn’t have them any other way. Joshua also understood that if the Company ever became aware of the existence of two perfectly-healthy, home-grown human/xeno hybrids, they would quadruple their efforts of capturing them. Sometimes, he wished they’d chosen to settle on a planet even further away than this one, perhaps in another galaxy altogether. Still, if the day ever came when the Company did end up knocking on his door, he and Ellen would be more than ready to do anything and everything in order to keep their children safe.  
  
"How is the ship’s core, my love?" Ellen spoke up to initiate the night’s conversation.

"Well, considering the core was designed for intergalactic travel, I'd say we've got about... five-hundred-thousand years before we need to replace it," the man replied. “Don’t worry, though. We won’t be going cold this winter as far as power is concerned. We just need to make sure our food supplies are well-stocked before then.”  
  
“Then I shall endeavour even harder to replenish our supplies,” Ellen stated, almost apologetically.  
  
“You don’t need to go overboard just yet, babe. That shark-thing you caught today will easily last at least a week or five.”  
  
“I still don’t know why I can’t go out and hunt for food, too!” Ariana piped up; her obsidian eyes narrowed to give her father a challenging look. “I’d bring home the biggest, meanest animal on this whole planet and we’d never go hungry!”  
  
“I admire your confidence, young lady. But you’re nowhere near ready to go off hunting by yourself just yet.” Joshua’s tone was a touch stern. It wasn’t the first time they’d had this conversation and he hadn’t changed his mind on the matter since the last time. Their daughter was fierce and determined but she was still young and inexperienced. He wasn’t about to let her jump head first into danger. “It’s all fun and games when you’re practicing close to home where your mother and I can sense you, but if you get yourself lost or in serious trouble, we won’t be around to bail you out. We still don’t even fully know what kind of dangers to expect from this world.”  
  
“Then Mom can come with me into the jungle to observe and protect me as I hone my skills,” the girl bargained. “There’s nothing in the world that can stand a chance against Mom! She’s the most fiercest warrior in the universe!”  
  
“You’re not wrong there, kiddo,” Josh grinned, hearing his own admiration of Ellen’s fighting skills in his daughter’s words. “Your mother is a force to be reckoned with. Just be sure to not get on her bad side, and always let her win the argument.”  
  
“I’ve got you trained well, it seems,” Ellen giggled. “Though, I’m inclined to believe you secretly enjoy all the whipping.” They both broke out into a wholesome laugh together.  
  
“So, can I go out into the jungle next time, pleeeeeease?” Ariana interrupted her parents’ merriment, rolling her eyes at the lovey-dovey gaze the two engaged in. Joshua turned to Ellen and gave an expression akin to “well?”  
  
“I--” Ellen hesitated. “would not be completely opposed to teaching our daughter how to hunt deeper into the wilderness.”   
  
“Alrighty then. Your mother will come with you the next time we need fresh meat. But you do everything she tells you, understand? Meanwhile, I’ll stay at home and keep my eye on Young Einstein over there.” Josh looked across the table at Christopher, who had his head buried deeply in a book thicker than a dictionary, oblivious to his father’s verbal nudge to participate in the conversation.  
  
“Ground Control to Major Chris,” Josh repeated. No response.  
  
“HEY, NERD!” Ariana blurted out, slapping her clawed hands on the tabletop. Christopher was abruptly snapped out of his trance and looked around at his family as they looked back at him.  
  
“S-sorry, everyone. I was just reading up on hyper-engineering.” Christopher’s smile was broad, and everyone knew what was coming next. “Fascinating stuff! Did you know the fastest recorded speed a hyperengine has ever travelled was a centillion miles per hour? That’s a number that destroys all concepts of time and space. It was first developed for use on the starship, Ex Infinitus, to travel between universes.”  
  
“I did not know that. Thank you for sharing that with the family, son.” Joshua said. He sincerely meant it, too. There was something about his son’s enthusiasm that made the occasional info-dumps endearing.  
  
“It literally smashes through the very fabric of space to travel from point A to point B! There are even some who postulate that hyperengines are the key to time travel,” Christopher continued, his face practically glowing from the excitement bubbling within him.  
  
“Uuuugh! That is so boring!” Ariana groaned, clearly not at all intrigued by the secrets of the universe that her brother found so thoroughly entrancing. “All you ever do is talk about science and space and useless shit like that.”  
  
“Ariana!” Joshua barked. Her attitude, especially towards her brother, was getting worse every day. Josh wondered if she would grow out of it soon or if they would have to come up with measures to counteract this behaviour before it got out of hand.  
  
“Hunting and dominance are what really matters in this world!” she held up her knife, menacingly, as Joshua’s eye narrowed at the gesture. “You can’t build a rocket if you’re dead.”   
  
“Science isn’t boring or useless, you simple-minded Neanderthal,” Christopher retorted.  
  
“What did you just call me, bookworm?!” Ariana hissed and bared her sharp fangs that would surely scare any normal human into submission. Christopher, however, didn’t seem the slightest bit affected by the threat. “Say it again, I dare you!”  
  
“Children, please calm yourselves at the dinner table,” Ellen tried her best to reason without succumbing to anger.  
  
“If the engine in the ship ever failed, you’re going to need to do more than bash it with a rock to get it going again.” Christopher’s pale face was turning bright red. “Without science, you wouldn’t be living so comfortably right now! You’d be living in a damp cave somewhere, freezing your bony backside off because you’re too dumb to figure out how to build a fire, and starving to death because you’re too weak to kill anything!”  
  
With her fangs bared and claws outstretched, Ariana exploded from her seat and almost flew across the table to get at her brother. Luckily for the pair of them, their mother was the faster as she curled her chitinous fingers around Ariana’s waist and yanked her back in one graceful motion.  
  
“I hope a predator comes to kill you, Chris!” Ariana barked. “Then maybe you can bore it to death with all your stupid talk about space engineering!”  
  
"You see her behaviour? She's a complete bully and a psychopath. She belongs in the jungle with the rest of the wild animals!" Chris shouted back, his eyes darting from his parents to his sister and back again.  
  
"Ariana, I don't know what's gotten into you lately, but I don't much care for the way you're treating your brother," said her father, his voice stern and yet gentle in a way only a parent could talk. “If he wants to read his books in peace, then just leave him to it. What’s it got to do with you what his hobbies are?”  
  
"You'll never be like Mother," Chris spat. "You're just an unstable little monster. It's no wonder you're so obsessed with killing all the time. We'd all be a lot safer without you around planning to murder us in our sleep."  
  
“Chris, you're not helping," said Josh, trying his hardest to defuse the charged situation and shooting his son a look that was supposed to gently urge him to drop the matter.  
  
“I'm only being true to what I am," said Ariana as her face pulled into an expression of fury. "Last time I checked, you were part xenomorph, too. At least I’ve embraced that side of me, unlike you. Hiding in your room behind your books all day like you think you're somehow different than I am. Are you ashamed of what you are?"  
  
"YES!" Chris blurted out before he realised what he had said. His eyes widened with shock. "I mean-- no..." But it was too late. The cat was out of the bag and an uncomfortable silence filled the room. Ellen remained silent but Josh could feel her heart breaking.  
  
"M-Mother, I-I didn't mean it like that..." Chris stammered, his face paling as he looked at his mother, pleadingly.  
  
"Well done, genius. You made Mom sad. But it is nice to finally meet the real you." Ariana's remark was even more acidic than the blood coursing through her veins.  
  
“That’s enough. Go to your quarters, right now. You’re grounded, young lady,” Josh ordered, sternly.   
  
“But Dad--”  
  
“NOW!"  
  
"Fine! Not like there's anything to do on this stupid planet, anyway," she muttered as she slammed her palm on the door’s control panel on the way out to seal it shut. The remaining trio ate their meal as the awkward silence hung over them like an ominous cloud.   
  
"Dessert, anyone?"   
  
● ● ●  
  
Ariana stomped around the corridors in a temper, scraping her sharp talons against the walls and cursing the entire world. “Stupid [inaudible]... Lousy [indecipherable]... Who are they to [indiscernible]...” she chuntered under her breath.  
  
"What troubles you, Little One?" a calm, feminine voice spoke from above like an angel. Ariana screamed in terror and stumbled backwards. She lost her footing and fell on the ground, her buttocks aching from the impact. Clinging to the ceiling above her was the massive, black chitin and latex-like form of her dear mother, a monstrous sight for anyone who did not expect her to be there.  
  
“Mom!” she cried out. “What are you doing up there?”  
  
"My apologies for startling you, dear,” said Ellen, almost sarcastically. Her face sparkled with an emotion Ariana couldn’t quite decipher. “I would have thought you'd have gotten used to the way I navigate these halls by now."  
  
“How do you even do that? I didn’t even see or hear you coming,” Ariana asked in awe of her mother’s ninja-like stealth.  
  
Ellen chuckled and reached out a clawed hand to brush along her daughter's smooth hair. “Raising two little tykes like you and Christopher has taught me how to be everywhere at once.”  
  
“Very funny,” the girl responded, her voice dry and barely containing the turmoil of emotions raging within her mind. “I’m not in the mood for jokes right now.”  
  
“I had a feeling that would be the case. I’ll have to secrete more resin on those scratch-marks you made to the walls. This ship is looking more like a hive with all the damage you’re causing to it.”  
  
“I’m just... frustrated, Mom,” the girl said, dejectedly. “I feel like I’m going to explode if I don’t get out of here. It’s like there’s this thing inside my chest that’s desperately biting and clawing to get out and I can’t do anything about it.”   
  
"I completely understand,” said Ellen.   
  
“I need to hunt, Mom! It’s just who I am. I’m sorry for being so hot-tempered about it, but it feels like no-one in this family understands me.”  
  
“I'm the one that should apologise for not nurturing your xenomorphic side more often. It was selfish of me to try and suppress those urges deep inside you. I guess I was simply trying to protect you from yourself, to not let you stray too far into the darkness that you lose yourself along the way.” Her mother’s voice seemed to resonate with a distinct sadness and Ariana wondered if there was more to this whole business than she would admit.  
  
“Does this mean we can hunt for real?!" Her face was hopeful and she leaned her face into her mother’s hand, relishing the gentle contact. "I promise I’ll listen to you and do everything you say.”  
  
“Very well, my little warrior,” said her loving mother. “Now, try to get some rest. Tomorrow, your real hunt begins."

“But Dad said I was grounded.”

“Don’t you worry about your father. I have my own special ways of changing his mind.”

“Oh?” … “Ew!”


	3. Chapter 3

Relaxing into their night together, Joshua and Ellen were playing a friendly game of chess on their fur-covered bed and enjoying their precious alone time now that the children were asleep. They loved having their kids around more than anything but sometimes a little intimacy was a wonderful thing. Joshua was sitting cross-legged, whilst Ellen was sprawled out like a cat with her long, bladed tail wrapped around them in a protective gesture. They took turns moving their respective pieces along the wooden board. They were Joshua’s personal masterpiece: hand-carved from the teeth of a rather large and ferocious animal that they’d hunted together during the early days of their arrival on Xenosis.   
  
The room itself was decorated with a plethora of handcrafted wooden ornaments and polished animal skulls. A macabre sight perhaps, but Joshua had become fascinated with all the unusual skulls you could find within the local fauna. Their designs that differed greatly from the ones he knew from his home planet. The excessively-horned skull of a creature resembling a dragon proudly overlooking their bed was one of his personal favourites. After all, it took them both nearly the entire day to bring it down.   
  
“Well, dinner sure went a lot better than it usually does,” Joshua said as he moved a pawn two squares across the board. “Christopher actually stood up for himself, and Ariana actually did what I told her to do for a change. Maybe things are starting to improve around here.”   
  
“Every family has its challenges to overcome," Ellen responded as she glancing up at him with her dark, meaningful gaze. "The important thing is to face those challenges together as a family.”  
  
“I always knew raising kids would be a challenge; I was fully prepared for that. But raising two kids that are part xenomorph? I definitely deserve the ‘Father of the Century’ award or something.”  
  
“You’re doing a wonderful job, my love." Ellen reassured him as she moved her king forward. "I couldn’t have wished for a better husband and father for my children.”  
  
“I’m worried that Ariana’s taking this whole ‘hunting and dominating’ thing a bit too far. Of course, survival skills are essential to have, especially on a hostile planet like this, but she’s still too young to be this obsessed with the idea of killing. Maybe her xenomorph side is becoming too dominant.” He slid his knight into it's respective position.   
  
“She’s simply trying to find her way. It’s a dangerous world out there and she’s only doing what she feels she must in order to survive in it. She’s lucky to have a father like you to help nurture her and guide her life in a more balanced direction. She really does look up to you."  
  
“She doesn’t look up to me, Elle. She sees me as an opponent to defeat or a challenge to overcome. I’m literally the white whale she’s made her life’s mission to conquer. At this rate, I’m going to have to sleep with my one eye open. Besides, it’s _you_ she admires and wants to be like. I’m starting to think she resents her human heritage.” Joshua frowned; feeling the sting in his chest that always plagued him when he thought about Ariana’s apparent dislike for him.  
  
“She doesn’t hate you. Don’t forget that I know what she feels at all times, and what I know she feels when she looks at you is a very deep and real sense of love and veneration. You’re her hero.” Ellen slid her rook across the board.  
  
“I hope you’re right. Christopher, on the other hand, is a different kettle of fish. He’s a complete pacifist. All he ever wants to do is read and study, which isn’t necessarily a _bad_ thing, but having a more hands-on experience with the outside world would be better for him than simply reading about it. I think I might take him out into the world and try to get some bonding going.” He slid his bishop along the tiles, diagonally.   
  
“You already share a bond with Christopher, remember?”   
  
“I meant in the flesh, as father and son. Get him to come out of his shell a bit more. His body might have aged practically overnight, and his intelligence is quite impressive, but he still has a lot of growing up to do. They both do.”   
  
“It seems we both have our work cut out for us,” she said as she picked up another one of Josh’s pieces. In return, Joshua promptly moved his Queen and claimed another of hers.   
  
“Checkmate.”  
  
“That, now, makes twenty times you’ve beaten me,” Ellen congratulated. “You’ve really mastered this game, my love.”

“I just had an amazing teacher, is all.”   
  
Joshua picked up the pieces and stowed them back inside their ornate wooden box. Woodworking was another hobby he’d taken up during his tenure on Xenosis, and the alien trees of the planet grew back miraculously quickly, providing him with a limitless supply of fuel and raw materials from which to craft all the furniture and decorations of their home. Thankfully, it also meant he never needed to venture too far into the jungle to procure it. He could chop a tree down and three more would have taken its place by the next day.   
  
“Rewarding progress with pleasure has always been an effective motivator,” Elle said, rubbing her smooth domed head against his back. She made a noise akin to a cat’s purr only it was about four octaves deeper and would’ve certainly sounded terrifying to most people. “Speaking of positive reinforcements...”   
  
“Already?” he replied with a grin. “Someone’s eager tonight.”   
  
"You always enjoyed the feel of my carapace against your body," she said, increasing her smooth, sensual massaging before slowly moving up to the back of his neck where she planted a loving "lick" of her inner maw on him. "This should help put your mind at ease, don't you think?"   
  
“You always did know how to get me in the mood.” He slid his hand under his pillow, retrieving a long, rectangular wooden box and presented it to her.   
  
“Oh? What is this?” she asked as she accepted it from him with a sense of curiosity.   
  
“I know it’s early days yet, but if I spent any more time thinking about it, you might just read my thoughts and the surprise would be ruined. It’s a pain trying to keep anything a secret from you.”   
  
She carefully pulled off the lid, eager to see what mystery it contained. Inside the box rested a long, pearl necklace that had been lovingly polished and woven together with a great deal of effort. 

“Surprise! Happy anniversary, Ellen.” A grin spread over his lips as he waited for her response, eager to see if she would love it as much as he hoped she would.   
  
“Oh, my...” she gasped, her palm hovering over her mouth in disbelief. “How-- When-- I don’t have the words to describe this feeling…” She delicately lifted the necklace up with her long fingernails and examined the little pearlescent orbs in closer detail. “They’re absolutely beautiful.”   
  
Joshua gently picked up the ends of the necklace between his fingers and hooked them together behind her neck. “You wouldn’t believe how it was driving me nuts trying to mentally hide this from you, but I was determined to make this year’s present a special one. I know you’ve always been adverse to wearing clothes, so I thought this would be a fitting compromise.” He allowed it to fall from his fingers so that it hung over her armoured chest; the stark contrast of the white pearls against her pitch-black body was simply stunning.   
  
“I adore it, Joshua. I cannot even begin to thank you enough,” she gushed with complete and absolute appreciation, clearly head over heels in love with the present.  
  
“You know, I don’t necessarily have to be thanked with words.” He leaned in and planted a passionate kiss on her mouth, gently rolling his tongue over hers and feeling the sharp little teeth that surrounded the opening. Once her inner-maw bloomed wide enough to accept his wet tongue, he pressed it deep inside, feeling the warmth and tightness gently squeezing it. Her saliva was as sugary and sweet as ever, a taste and texture he'd come to enjoy quite a lot over the years. He desperately gulped down her precious fluid, careful not to waste a drop, as her own tongue wrapped around his.   
  
She pulled her human lover down onto his back and gracefully climbed on top of him. Her lithe and flexible body stretched out over his own and he couldn’t help admiring the graceful way she moved. It never ceased to amaze him just how gorgeous she was in her own, alien way that was so far removed from any human beauty standards.  
  
“How’d a schmuck like me ever get so lucky?” he said as he gazed up at his beloved wife, gently stroking and squeezing her ribbed thighs with the palms of his hands. Her skin was smooth and warm under his fingers, the texture being one of the most satisfying to feel he’d ever encountered.  
  
“I ask myself that same question, and I can never quite arrive at an answer,” she replied, tenderly. She ran a finger down his chest, gently grazing his skin. The simple sensation sent chills down his spine as her claw neared his crotch.   
  
“It’s because you’re amazing in every single way, Ellen. You’re the greatest thing that’s ever happened to me in my entire life.”   
  
"Flatterer." The xenomorph smiled brightly at his words, and Josh could feel her ever-increasing sense of happiness. He slowly began to slide his fingers along her smooth, black, latex-like stomach and towards her glossy breasts. They were most certainly another favourite body feature of his. He was secretly thankful Ellen never took to the habit of wearing clothing. It gave him a cheap thrill just to look at her sexy, naked form all day long. Perhaps she already knew that and deliberately decided to not wear any for that very reason or maybe she simply didn’t see the necessity for it. After all, she didn’t grow up in a very human society.   
  
He softly caressed her soft breasts and squeezed her bluish nipples, causing her to moan in delight and gyrate against his growing, aching erection. Elle pressed his member down flatly against his abdomen and gave it a cheeky little thrust with her genitals, causing a few pearls of crystalline precum to dribble onto his navel.   
  
"We should probably take it slow,” the man whispered. “We wouldn’t want our fun to come to a premature end, now would we?” 

“Oh, should we now?” 

Ellen raised herself off Joshua's hips. His erection stood back at attention, eager to find its way between her black folds. She tenderly grabbed his veiny cock and hovered her face above it, warm saliva dribbled forth from her inner maw until his length was coated with a thick layer of the slippery fluid. She then tenderly began pumping it up and down, the feeling was like a static charge coursing throughout his entire body. Josh closed his eyes and tried not to lose himself to the ecstasy he was experiencing. Already he felt himself being pushed further and further towards the edge, his orgasm like a tight knot in his stomach. Ellen could sense this and promptly released her grip on his member, its pulsations gradually slowing down to a complete stop. 

“You better get that thing inside of me quickly before it’s too late.” her voice carried a hint of amusement at how easily she had him teetering on the edge.

With one hand, the alien positioned Josh's shaft against her entrance, teasing both herself and him by delicately tickling her vulva with the tip. As she did so, Josh gently grabbed her breasts, digging his fingertips into the supple flesh and pulling ever-so slightly to urge her down onto his awaiting cock. After sliding her clawed hand along his penis a few times, just to tease him further, Elle finally lowered herself fully onto him. The sensation of him pushing into her caused her to purr loudly and her long body to quiver. Joshua let out a relaxed sigh, feeling his large lover shake around him. 

Mischief curling around his lips, he roughly squeezed her nipples with his fingers for a moment making Elle gasp in surprise. She batted the air in embarrassment and gave him a shaky smile. Joshua chuckled and went back to his careful groping, relishing the feeling of his fingers digging into her thick skin. She slowly leaned down, giving better and better access to her chest until he was smothered underneath her with her gorgeous breasts laying atop his head. 

Joshua's hands travelled across his partner's back, teasing her dorsal tubes before landing squarely against her ass. He gave it a firm slap and sank his fingers into her hard-but-soft form. She began to gently rock back and forth, each time pushing his cock deeper inside of her intense heat, while at the same time rubbing her whole body against him in the most sensual way. Her breasts pushed down against his face before dragging back up along his head. Elle enjoyed her squishy husband greatly, silently relishing the feeling of his body. A gentle tap against her butt and some soft thrusts from Joshua communicated his desires fairly well. 

"So spoiled," she sighed with mock-exasperation, as her mouth pulled into a smile. 

She nudged his head further into her form and began to bounce on top of his erection. Their bedding underneath softly crinkled with their subdued lovemaking. Joshua let out a muffled groan straight into Ellen's chest that seemed to reverberate through her, sending a tingling sensation along her long spine into the very tip of her tail. He desperately wanted to plunge deeper, let loose his desire, but allowed Ellen to keep the reins and remain relatively silent. For now, the small pulses of pleasure that radiated through him would have to do. 

Despite the need for secrecy, Joshua was able to thrust ever so slightly further when Elle came back down, forcing his hips back down against the bed. It was a horrible tease being on the edge of taking control, but in a way that made what little freedom he had all the sweeter. Another gentle tap. "What's that my love?" Elle whispered. Joshua massaged the base of her tail before giving it a firm tug. "So, so spoiled. Are you sure you deserve it?" Another tug came. "Alright then, no need to fuss." She quickened her pace. Ever so slightly, their bodies begin to slap together rhythmically. 

As she moved up and down repeatedly, each time pushing him deeper inside herself, Joshua closed his eye and continued to fondle her smooth breasts whilst trying desperately not to cum too soon. The more her warm, moist vaginal muscles squeezed and massaged his dick, the more he felt the build-up in his balls increase. He wasn’t going to last much longer, and no amount of “thinking about nothing” could prevent his own body from betraying him. Moans of pleasure became louder with each thrust, and the heat they generated gathered as a thin sheen of sweat on Josh’s skin.  
  
“Yes! Yes! Yes!” Elle cried as she felt his cock penetrating deeper and deeper inside her, hitting just the right spot to bring her closer and closer to her orgasm. She leaned back, placing her own hands over Josh’s as they continued to fondle her breasts. A few final thrusts later and she fully extended her inner maw as she practically roared with elation as she finally reached her climax, soaking both Joshua and the covers of the bed with her juices. As her warm fluids gushed out all over him, Joshua’s entire body seized up and he pushed himself deeper, desperately bucking his hips, as he spent himself inside of her. Feeling his warmth fill up her insides, Elle leaned down and gave him a wet, passionate kiss as they both continued to thrust, riding out the wave of their orgasms until the stimulation became too much to bear for their overly sensitive nerves. Exhausted and utterly satisfied, they blissfully laid together in a loving embrace, gasping heavily for air, his softening cock still buried deep inside her. 

Once he had caught his breath again and his heart was no longer racing in his chest, Joshua turned his head to gaze out of the window towards the starry night sky. The beautifully-white, triple-ringed moon they had jokingly named “Xenith” gleamed high above them, casting its mysterious light over the planet. He laid in quiet contemplation until something peculiar caught his eye. 

“That’s funny.”   
  
“What is it, my love?” Elle asked as she nuzzled closer to him, her elongated dome resting atop his chest.   
  
“A shooting star broke off into two pieces. Does that mean we get to make two wishes?”   
  
“That won’t be necessary. Everything I could possibly want is right here.” She gave him a loving peck on the cheek with her inner maw before snuggling up to him. Tired from a long day and their intense love-making, she barely noticed herself falling into a deep, peaceful slumber, draped in the arms of her one true soul mate.


	4. Chapter 4

The world was an indecipherable cacophony of black and blue, with the occasional lonely spot of bright red signifying a nearby source of heat. The sounds of the jungle sounded slow and distorted- accompanied by the strange, rhythmic beating of an alien heartbeat. A digital audio equalizer bar lowered down vertically into view on the left-hand side, analyzing the various sounds it detected and saving them should the need to study them further arise. The black silhouette of a taloned, five-fingered hand rose into view, forming a tightly-clenched fist.   
  
Her time had come at last. Another game was about to begin. This was her last chance to prove herself worthy of hunting alongside a clan of seasoned male warriors. To prove herself to her sire, the High Chieftain of the Brotherhood of Yautja. And she wasn’t going to fail a second time, else death would be her only prize. In this mission there were no shortcuts, no preferential treatment. it was either do or die. Kill or be killed.   
  
Czh'cara was still young and relatively new to the life of the intergalactic trophy-hunting that her race was infamous for throughout the universe. But once you commit yourself to that way of life, there is no going back, lest you wish to receive the death penalty. Anyone who dared to turn their backs on the way was considered to bring shame upon the dignity of their species as a whole. And that was an offence no other trophy would allow. Hunting was considered a sacred rite of passage, and in her world, anyone too frightened or otherwise incapable of hunting was considered to be worse than lower class. They were scum to be sneered at and spat upon, reviled, and oftentimes reduced to working slaves. There was no way she would allow that to be her destiny, she promised herself.   
  
She was issued with the standard arsenal all her brethren brought with them on their trophy hunts: a gauntlet with built-in razor-sharp, acid-proof blades that extended outwards for melee combat, a shoulder-mounted plasma caster for the more bothersome quarry, and a self-destruct device to be used only as a final resort that was meant to ensure that she not only died with dignity, but to erase any trace left behind of her existence so no-one could reverse-engineer their technology.  
  
She reached behind herself and pulled out her personal weapon of choice: a deadly telescopic trident made from a precious mineral found nowhere else in the universe but on her homeworld. The device sharply extended outwards from both ends, and from its sides, two serrated blades snapped open to form the head of the trident itself. She both examined it for any flaws and admired it for its beauty. Satisfied that she had made the right choice, she allowed the weapon to retract back into its compact form with loud, gaseous clicks. With one last adoring glance at her weapon, she stored it away somewhere on her back.   
  
A terrifying, animalistic roar echoed in the distance, causing the ground to quake and the tree she was crouched in to tremble. Czh'cara stood up on her branch and turned to face the direction in which she knew the fearsome sound to have originated. The manner of creature it came from would surely earn her the respect of her peers, and most importantly, her sire. But game-hunting wasn’t merely about the size of the skull itself, it was about how intuitive, resourceful, and capable of fighting back your quarry was in battle. After all, there was no sport in going after simple beasts who attacked out of pure instinct alone.  
  
The young-blooded Yautja activated her cloaking device which enveloped her entire body in complete glass-like transparency. Only whenever she moved did the shimmering of the refracted light give her position away. She effortlessly bounded from her perch, from tree to tree and branch to branch across the jungle to meet her opponent. There was no-one in this world that would be a match for her and absolutely nothing would stand in her way to honour and glory.   
  
● ● ●   
  
“I honestly don’t see the point in this exercise, Father,” Christopher moaned in annoyance as his feet dragged and kicked up dirt and debris in his wake. “Hiking through the hot jungle is a fool’s errand. There’s nothing to gain from doing this. Who knows what kind of wild carnivores roam around here.”   
  
Leading the way was Joshua in his trademark fur poncho and carrying his ever-faithful walking staff that he’d preserved and engraved intricate Aztec-inspired patterns onto. The elder trudged ahead, despite the pain sizzling through his leg with every other step and his son’s constant whining slowly beginning to get on his last nerve.   
  
“Jesus, Chris, you don’t half moan, do you? The ‘point’ is to get you out of the ship and into the real world for a change. It’s all very well and good reading about trees but it’ll never replace the experience of actually touching one.”   
  
“I’ve touched plenty of trees, Father. What do you think books are made of?” Christopher retorted smartly.  
  
“That's really funny. You should be a comedian.” Joshua couldn’t help thinking that if Christopher’s fighting instinct were as sharp as his tongue, he’d be more than just a force to be reckoned with. 

They continued their slow, plodding walk into the wilderness as the heat of the day only increased. It didn’t take long until both of them were considerably hot, tired and irritable.   
  
“I just wanted us to do a bit of bonding, as fathers and sons should do,” Joshua panted, clenching his teeth and forcing himself to endure the pain in his leg as the ground began to incline beneath them. “Is that honestly too much to ask? I’m not gonna be around forever and when I’m gone, you’ll seriously regret not having times like these to look back on.”   
  
“Then why couldn’t we have bonded over something I’m passionate about? Forcing us to do this will only germinate feelings of resentment and hostility in us both. Not that I want that, of course, but a better idea to increase our familial relationship would have been fishing in a boat or a simple game of catch as we discussed girls. Not that there are any girls on this planet other than Mother and Ariana.”   
  
“You never know, son. There might be a nice girl out there waiting for you, and you’d miss your chance with her because you’d rather spend all your time indoors instead. Nothing is more tragic in life than missing out on true love.”  
  
“I doubt there’s anyone else out there with a developed brain capable of intelligent conversation. Just face it, Father, our family line is going to be very short lived.” 

“It’s a big planet, Chris. Who knows? We might have just settled in some kind of national park and there are actually other towns and cities out there. That’s the idea behind these little excursions, son: to get a better lay of the land and to make allies wherever possible.”  
  
“Even if there are other people out there, it would be far wiser for us to not make them aware of our existence. History has always been replete with warring factions and wanton bloodshed. The last thing we need is some primitive tribe coming after us to carve out our hearts as a sacrifice to their Gods for a bountiful harvest.”   
  
“Christ, what books have you been reading?”   
  
“All of them. I’ve pretty much read the ship’s entire library.”   
  
Joshua turned back towards his lagging son, completely awestruck by what he just heard. “You’ve read the ship’s entire library? There must have been millions of books stored in that database.”   
  
“Billions. It was a very productive day, indeed.”   
  
He’d be damned if out of ten thoughts on his mind, nine weren’t holy shit right now. Josh cleared his throat. “Alright then, Will Hunting. Just remember that knowledge in and of itself isn’t power. Knowledge put into practice is power. Let’s see you make use of all that learning and do something to make our trip a more pleasant one. You know how to build a shelter and a fire? Theoretically, of course.”   
  
“I’ve read enough manuals to understand the basics of outdoor survival. Indeed, establishing a base in which to erect a shelter and a fire would be the appropriate course of action.”   
  
“Then let’s get cracking, Bear Grylls. Tell you what. You can be in charge during our trip. What you say goes. Sounds good?” Joshua hoped that this way he could get his son to brighten up a bit and maybe even find enjoyment in their excursion.  
  
“That does sound like it could be... fun.” A small smile formed on Chris’s tired face.   
  
Joshua rested his arm around his son’s shoulders before they resumed their walk, side-by-side, feeling triumph blooming in his chest at the sight of his slightly-improved mood. “Y’see? This is going to be a weekend worth remembering.”  
  
● ● ●   
  
“There you are,” Ariana whispered to herself as she kept herself hidden among the jungle’s creeping overgrowth. Off in the distance, obscured by winding trees was an animal that closely resembled a boar. That is, a boar with a heavy, mace-like tail, a thick-plated spine, and a head sprouting long tusks and a crown of horns. Though the meat would be tough and generally unappealing, there would be plenty of it to stave off their hunger for the rest of the day. A creature like this wasn’t exactly the most challenging of game they could have found in the jungle, but it was the first creature they’d happened upon since they’d entered the jungle several hours ago and Ellen reasoned it would still make for good hunting practice for Ariana. Under her watchful stewardship, of course.   
  
Up in the canopy above, a familiar voice called down. “It might just be a pig, but you should not startle it or else--”   
  
“I know how to do this, Mom! Please let me concentrate,” Ariana shooed her ever-watchful mother away. 

Ellen sighed and relented, leaning back against the trunk of the tree she sat in. Swaying her tail and leg, she observed the novice in action, ready to react within a split-second in case something went wrong. 

“I've got this. I won’t let this of all things get the better of me.” The young girl eyed the boar and its many red stripes which made it somewhat difficult to make out amongst the dense foliage. Whilst Ariana shared some of her mother's heightened senses, her adolescence made it hard to keep them under control and they often clashed with her vision. After a few tense seconds of staring and waiting for the opportune moment to strike, she managed to figure out its exact position. She stepped forward and crouched low.   
  
“Don’t forget to--” the voice above chimed in with a tone of expectant failure. Ellen knew exactly what was going to happen.   
  
“Mom!” the girl hushed louder, almost spooking the beast.   
  
“Pardon me, dear. You know best.” Ellen decided to just kick back, relax and enjoy the show. It was obvious her years of wisdom and experience were falling on deaf ears. The only way stubborn children like Ariana could learn was through pain and failure, and failure was something Ariana knew in abundance.   
  
The little huntress prowled along the creature's perimeter, circling over to its rear. She smiled and bared her fangs in anticipation. It hadn't moved from its position on the jungle floor, and its slow, relaxed breathing indicated that it had not yet noticed the presence of the hunter. Nearing a favourable position, she began to move forward as carefully as possible.   
  
Snap!   
  
The girl froze like a rabbit in the headlights of an oncoming truck, her heart coming to a complete stop. She looked down at a small twig that had split under her foot. “Oops.”   
  
The boar-like animal gave a deafening squeal as it exploded out of the fauna and charged directly into the path of the young girl, an unstoppable force threatening to tear her down. The gap between them grew smaller and smaller until she was suddenly yanked up into the air by the scruff of her neck. The beast continued to bolt into its initial direction right underneath her, and in a flash, it was away and into the jungle before Ariana was dropped back onto the floor with a soft thud.   
  
“Shit! Shit! Shit!” the young girl cursed and pounded the ground with her fists, frustration burning hotly in her chest.   
  
“Our dinner is getting away,” Ellen reminded her as she clung to the twisted tree trunk. “You can’t give up so easily. Get up and go after it or we won’t have anything to eat.”   
  
“What? Aren’t you going to help me?” the girl cried up to her mother, her eyes glinting with both humiliation and anger.   
  
“I just did, didn’t I? If that animal had struck you head-on, you would have been severely injured or worse. You didn’t even have the sense to jump out of its path, electing to simply stand there as still as a dead tree. Perhaps now you finally realise you’re not as skilled as you believe yourself to be.”   
  
“It’s not fair! You never needed help to become a great warrior.” The young girl began to softly weep, her little fists clenched at her sides. “I just want to be like you, Mom.”   
  
“That’s not entirely true, my beloved. There were many times where I needed the help of another.”   
  
“What do you mean? Whose help could you have possibly needed?”   
  
“Your father, of course. As strong as I am, I couldn’t have gotten this far without him by my side. I would undoubtedly have died long ago if not for him.” Ellen embraced the young girl like a dark blanket.  
  
Ariana stared up at her mother in confusion. “Dad saved your life? But… but he’s just a human.”  
  
“A human who has saved my life many times. Without him, I would still be confined to a tiny prison cell, being cruelly tested and experimented on. Without him, I would most definitely have been killed. And without him, I would never have been able to reach the safety of this beautiful new world.” Ellen knelt beside her daughter. “There is more to survival than strength, my child. Humans have understood and mastered this, your father especially. He is resourceful, smart (mostly) and knows how others think and behave. Just look at the home he has made for us. He has sacrificed so much for my sake and yours. That is something I could never have given you.”   
  
Ariana looked down at the dirt and undergrowth. One of her clawed fingers tapped idly against her knee as her head was working to process what her mother had just said. “What could he do that you couldn’t?”   
  
“He fought with me by my side and it cost him a great deal. Where do you suppose those injuries he’s burdened with came from? I’ll tell you where. After we escaped the Company, the ones who held me prisoner, we were ambushed by a man.”   
  
“A man... like Dad?”   
  
“Absolutely nothing like your father. It would be more accurate to call him a monster, but really, he was a machine of some kind, and he was far stronger than me.”   
  
“That can’t be true!” the girl exclaimed in disbelief.   
  
“If your father hadn’t been there, I would have surely been killed. That monster took your father’s eye and permanently damaged his leg, amongst numerous other injuries that very nearly resulted in his death. It was only by working together that we were able to overcome and ultimately defeat him.”   
  
Ellen reflected on her words and the memories they brought back. To this day, she felt tremendous guilt for coming out of that battle unscathed, whilst Joshua has to endure his wounds for the rest of his life. The urge to embrace him and thank him for everything he had given to keep her safe flooded over her, and she couldn’t wait to see him again. As her claws gently stroked the magnificent white orbs of her necklace, she looked down at the young girl who was gazing back up at her in awe. 

“Remember, my beloved. It is when we are alone that we are at our most vulnerable. So please do not think so little of your father, or the fact you are half-human. You and your brother are the best of both worlds.” She reached down to wipe a crystalline tear from Ariana’s soft, reddened cheek. The young girl flinched slightly at first, not wanting her weakness to be acknowledged, but the gentle caress finally softened her resolve.   
  
“Come now, Little One. Dry your eyes.” Ellen lifted Ariana’s chin up with her long fingers. “Your prey has left an easy trail to follow, and judging from it’s scent, it hasn’t fled too far away. There is still time to finish your hunt before the sun goes down.”   
  
“What if I fail again, Mom?” the young girl asked, her voice quivering with uncertainty.  
  
“Then you get back up on your feet and try again. Learn from your failures. Use that anger inside you to drive you towards success. Someone dear to me once told me to never give up and now I’m telling you, Ariana. You are my daughter, and I believe in you.”


	5. Chapter 5

Wandering through the vast celestial wilderness was a small reconnaissance ship commissioned by Weyland-Yutani to track the whereabouts of a certain missing xenomorph and its human abductor. Despite not having been able to recover any solid, or even gaseous, evidence that the two survived the thermonuclear explosion that wiped out the mining facility on Gamma-Sigma, it was the Director of the Company himself who was adamant to continue the search. For some reason, his instincts insisted that something wasn’t quite right about the situation. It was all too convenient, and he wasn’t the type to let things go that easily. A man like him wasn’t going to be outsmarted by a low-level grunt and his pet alien. If there was even a hint of a chance that they were still alive and out there somewhere, he would make it his life’s mission to apprehend them and bring them to justice. His own particular brand of justice, that was.  
  
Needless to say, space was infinite in all directions, and with billions of habitable planets all relatively within reach of Gamma-Sigma, it was most certainly going to be a long and arduous search. Some would even say futile. Even if a thousand scouting ships were to be deployed every day, there was still a slim-to-none chance of ever finding them in a single lifetime. However, that small fact didn’t deter the four-man crew of the Cerberus, veteran bounty hunters that had been personally selected by the Director himself for their untarnished reputation for always catching their mark, no matter what dark and seedy recesses of the galaxy they were hiding in.   
  
“Day three-hundred and eighty-five, and still no sign of this Briggs asshole or the xenomorph he stole. We’ve just about exhausted our resources for this trip, but Tanner believes he’s stumbled upon the signature ion trail that leads directly to the orbital path of Gamma-Sigma. It’s faint, almost completely invisible to our sensors, like trying to track a shadow in the dark, but it’s the only lead we have to go on. I’ll appraise you on the situation when we rendezvous with the Asterion for replenishments. Hopefully, next time out, we’ll have better luck. End transmission.”  
  
The disgruntled Captain pressed a button on the armrest of his chair before leaning back to firmly rub his eyeballs in frustration. “What a load of horseshit,” he swore under his breath. He was beginning to wonder if the bounty was even worth all this ball-ache. Maybe he’ll demand a renegotiation of the terms of this contract when he meets with the Director again, add a few extra zeros to the sum they were promised. He opened his eyes again, and once the glittery kaleidoscope of phosphenes wore off, a steaming-hot cup of coffee was there to greet him. It was indeed a more than welcome sight.

“Coffee, Captain? You looked like you needed it,” spoke a young and feminine voice.  
  
“Thank you, Anna,” he said as he accepted the cup from her hand and took a sip. The rich flavour exploded in his mouth, the hot liquid burning his tongue a little but he barely noticed it. “Mmm, good stuff.”  
  
“Arcturian special blend. Nothing but the best for the Captain.” She was one of the youngest members of the crew and by far the prettiest. Her presence alone made the trip easier for him, not only her appearance but also her kind smile that could light up even the pitch-black void of space. 

“You can just call me Nash,” he said, looking up and flashing her a smile that was supposed to be charming but probably just betrayed his exhaustion. 

“As you wish... Nash.” She returned his smile.

Encouraged by this, he decided to continue the conversation. “So, tell me why you so vehemently wanted to join this motley crew of ours, Anna. No offense, but you don’t exactly strike me as the kind of person who’d enjoy this kind of work.” 

“I’m just looking to bring some semblance of justice to the galaxy, Cap-- Nash.” She seemed sincere about that answer and it surprised him.

“Then why not become a cop instead?” 

“Unfortunately, official police work tends to get you tied down with bureaucratic red tape and jurisdictional nonsense. Bounty hunting allows you more flexibility to do what the law cannot. Plus, there’s the reward money pays better.” Her smile widened, an amused glint in her eyes.

“Ain’t that the truth? Speaking of reward money, do you know how much the bounty on Briggs’s head currently stands at?” 

“I’m afraid I’m not privy to that information.” 

“Thirty-five million dollars. Exclusive privilege, too, meaning there’s no-one out there looking for them except us. Unsurprisingly, those corporate assholes didn't go into too much detail when they assigned us the mission. ‘Apprehend the fugitive and the asset. Ask no questions. Full payment upon completion of delivery’. Suffice it to say they consider them both extremely high priority.”  
  
“How did this one marine single-handedly manage to steal a xenomorph from the Company in the first place, and what do you suppose he planned to do with it? I studied his profile shortly after I came on board to get a better understanding of the man. Private Joshua Briggs is a hero. Given all the references and testimonials we gathered, this whole thing seems wildly out of character. What could possibly possess a man like that to do something so reckless?”  
  
“My guess would be he planned to sell the thing to a rival corporation or a terrorist faction. Either one is a terrifying possibility. I'm not sure which is worse: a xeno that's in the wrong hands or a xeno that's completely out of hand. Whichever it is, it'll spell a world of hurt for the rest of us.” Nash slouched down in his chair and exhaled loudly, examining the cup of coffee in his hands. “All this trouble just for one goddamn bug and a grunt.” It was almost funny in a fucked up way.  
  
“We’ll definitely capture them both before that happens, sir,” Anna reassured him. He almost envied her for how certain of that she sounded. “You’ve caught slipperier fish than these before. I studied your file, too. Over two-hundred apprehensions of the galaxy’s most notorious criminals. Very impressive work.”  
  
“Are you always this optimistic or are you just ingratiating yourself to me, Anna?” He gave her a playful wink.  
  
“A bit of both, sir,” she giggled without breaking eye contact with him. “It’s why I wanted to join your crew. You always get your man.”  
  
“I appreciate your vote of confidence, but something tells me this is the one fish that’s going to slip right through our fingers. There’s no proof they’re even still alive, let alone anywhere in this part of the galaxy. Hell, we’ve got a higher chance of finding God out here than them.”  
  
“Yet here you are, still giving it your all, even if you know it could very well result in nothing. I’ve always admired that.”  
  
“Now you’re really blowing smoke up my ass,” he joked as he took another sip of coffee. The beeping of a nearby console interrupted their pleasant conversation and he found himself almost disappointed.  
  
“Cap’, I’ve detected something close to the ion trail we’re following. It’s very small and emits a faint, repeating pulse. Definitely artificial in nature,” another member of the crew reported from his station.  
  
“Tanner the Scanner, indeed,” said the Captain with a tone of optimism in his voice. The helmsman, Tanner, had a particular and invaluable talent for detecting astrological anomalies so faint that even the ship’s sensors failed to pick them up. “Can you bring it up on screen?”  
  
“Done and done, sir.” Tanner’s fingers were a blur as they danced across the bulky, metallic-grey console. It took less than a second until the main viewscreen in front of him flickered to life. At first it seemed dark but Tanner quickly adjusted the settings and the unmistakable silhouette of a severely mutilated man caked in a thick layer of glittery space dust appeared before them.   
  
“What is that?” Anna asked with equal parts bewilderment and disgust.   
  
“An artificial man, it seems,” Nash replied, nonchalantly.  
  
“An android? Out here in the middle of literally nowhere?” The scepticism was audible in her voice.  
  
“Exactly. And I don’t believe that’s a coincidence, either. This android is probably involved with the xenomorph somehow and could very well know where they are. Our fishing hook has just become a net.”  
  
“He looks in pretty bad shape, Cap’. Are you sure the Claw won’t cause even more damage to him?”  
  
“That’s a very good point, Mr. Tanner. We wouldn’t want to break the only lead we’ve had in over a year now, would we? Thank you for volunteering to go out there and fetch him yourself.”  
  
Tanner’s face fell instantly. “Shit.”  
  
● ● ●  
  
The outer doors of the airlock silently swished open, far slower than designed thanks to decades of accumulated rust and micrometeoroid bombardment. The ship had definitely seen better days, and keeping up appearances wasn’t exactly high on the Captain’s list of priorities. As long as everything worked enough to get them from A to B and didn’t threaten to leave them stranded dead in space, he couldn’t care less about minor flaws. Suddenly, the doors came to an abrupt halt, leaving an opening that was too narrow for a man in a bulky space suit to fit through. A pair of light-grey gloves emerged from between the gap and rested on the edges of the doors.   
  
“Fucking piece of shit,” Tanner moaned. “Nothing on this ship ever works. Except for me.”   
  
“Hey, don’t you be badmouthing my baby,” a voice crackled through the helmet’s intercom.  
  
“Maybe when we collect the reward money, we can buy ourselves a new one and sell her for scrap,” he grumbled, more to himself than the others but the comm still picked it up.  
  
“Any more like that out of you and I’ll have you giving the old girl a fresh lick of paint,” the Captain warned him, his voice darker than usual. “She may be old but she’s got it where it counts. Plus, she’s got more character than any of these fancy new ships on the market.”  
  
“Sorry, Cap’!”   
  
“Ain’t me you should be apologizing to.”  
  
“You’re fucking with me... right?”  
  
“Do I need you out there washing the windows, too?”  
  
“Sorry… Cerberus,” Tanner spat through gritted teeth and a touch of ignominy. He then strained with all his might to part the doors wider, and through some divine miracle, they obeyed. “I’ll take that as an ‘apology accepted’.”  
  
“See? We’re all one big happy family.”  
  
The astronaut stepped out in his bulky, and precariously worn-down, space suit and into the eternal emptiness towards the icy corpse. He reached out and gently latched onto the android’s muscular arm, sending glittery particles of space-matter in all directions. After discharging a small burst of gas from the thrusters in his manoeuvring unit, both he and his catch came to a stop.   
  
“Status update, if you please, Mr. Tanner.”  
  
“I’ve successfully made contact with the android, Cap’. Preparing to tow it back in.”  
  
“Good man.”  
  
Despite the order to just bring in the android as is, curiosity got the better of Tanner and he decided to get a closer look at the android’s visage before reeling it back in. He rotated the android’s body and positioned its face closer to his visor, but the darkness was still obscuring it too much to get a good look at. Turning on the beams on his MMU, he pulled it in as far as possible and suddenly a horrifyingly-twisted and mangled grimace, locked in an expression of pure hellish terror, lit up before him.  
  
“JESUS CHRIST!” Tanner screamed and recoiled away in such primal fear that his heart almost seemed to burst right out of his chest. Its one eye glared right back at him like a monster from his darkest nightmare. The poor man choked and desperately gasped for air as he tried to calm himself down. He had never been so scared in his entire life and being alone in space with this thing staring back at him had quickly become the absolute last place he wanted to be.  
  
“Tanner!” Nash barked, clearly worried about his helmsman. “What the hell’s going on out there?!”   
  
Strangely, the sound of Nash’s voice was reassuring to him, and after a painfully-long minute of agonized breathing, his nerves all but settled down again. However, he didn't dare take his gaze off the thing in front of him, even a single blink was far too long without seeing it.  
  
“I’m fine, Cap’. I just… looked the devil in the eye, is all.”   
  
“Stop screwing around and get your ass back onto the ship immediately.”  
  
“Gladly.” He reluctantly placed his hand back onto the android, fearful that something else might unexpectedly jump out at him. With precise manoeuvring of his thrusters, the astronaut rotated around in space with the frozen body and headed back into the airlock. After smacking his hand against the control panel a few times, the rusty airlock doors finally sealed them both inside. Somehow it felt like he had just slammed the doors of a tomb shut behind him. 

When the twenty-four-hour-long decontamination process finally concluded, it took all the members of the crew to hoist the heavy android onto a gurney and wheel into the science lab.  
  
● ● ●  
  
Anna, Nash, and the ship’s chief medical officer, Doctor Conway, stood around the mutilated body of their new passenger, each of them quietly wondering what to make of it. One thing seemed clear to everyone: whatever the android went through must have been one hell of a battle. His right forearm was cleanly sliced off just below the elbow and multiple gunshot wounds were scattered around his body. While his stomach had sustained a massive puncture, there appeared to be a vicious bite mark from some kind of unknown creature tearing deep the back of his neck. Several digits were missing from his remaining hand, yet the most devastating part of the damage had been done to its head. Half of it was missing, apparently blown away by an explosion that appeared to have been detonated inside the android’s skull itself.   
  
“The fuck happened to this guy?” asked Nash, sounding almost impressed by the amount of destruction that had been inflicted on a single individual.  
  
“I’ve never seen an android like this before,” said Anna. “He’s so... big and fat. The Company certainly doesn’t have a model like this. Who do you suppose built him?”  
  
“I have absolutely no idea,” Conway replied, his voice echoing the same curiosity the young woman had betrayed as he shone a diagnostic otoscope into its remaining ear. “There’s no serial number or anything indicating where he came from. Maybe he can tell us himself when we wake him up.”  
  
With surgical precision, the good doctor placed several crocodile clips attached to electrical wires into the exposed brain-matter of the android. “Okay, Anna. Time to give this guy his wake-up call.”  
  
The girl obliged, and just as she reached over to activate the power supply unit, the android’s body suddenly and violently twitched and spasmed, apparently reanimating back to life.  
  
“Anna, please decrease the power input by five percent,” Conway instructed urgently. “We don’t want to blow what little brains this guy’s got left.”  
  
"But doctor,” Anna’s voice was heavy with a deep concern as she replied. “I haven't turned the power on yet…"  
  
Just as quickly as they started, the violent spasms came to a stop.  
  
“Look...” she whispered, drawing the doctor’s attention down to the android’s chest. It was gently rising and falling, as if the android was breathing by itself.  
  
“hello? Can you hear me?” Conway asked. “Are you able to tell us who you are or how you came to be out there all alone in deep space?”  
  
A deep, synthesized voice quietly spoke up, almost choking on the white fluid that oozed from its mouth. “What… year… is… it?”  
  
“The year is 2381... AD,” Conway answered, seeming a little surprised by the question.  
  
“Five years... I was right.”  
  
“What are you talking about? Right about what?” Nash asked.  
  
Despite the lack of emotion in its voice, to Anna it almost seemed as though the android seemed almost irritated by the question, as though it considered it to be particularly stupid. “I have been counting every second of every hour of every day that I was floating out there. Five years, one month, three days, two hours, thirty-two minutes and nineteen seconds.”  
  
“What happened to you? Why were you out there?” Anna asked, her brows knitted together in a thoughtful frown. “Was there some kind of accident?”  
  
“I was kicked off my own ship. Literally, in fact.”   
  
“Your ship? Have you been in contact with a xenomorph and a human, by any chance?” asked Conway.  
  
“Oh, yes. I certainly came into contact with them. Almost killed them, too. Seems that I underestimated them, though. I won't be making that mistake again.”  
  
“Do you know where they are now?” the doctor pressed, clearly excited to hear that the android really was connected to their manhunt.  
  
“Where are we going?” the android asked, once again ignoring his question.  
  
“We’re on our way back to a Weyland-Yutani starship fresh supplies before we resume our mission. We’ve been tracking the whereabouts of the aforementioned xenomorph for a long time and now we’ve finally made some tangible progress. That being you, of course. If you know where they’re currently located, please tell us. Innocent lives may very well be at stake.”  
  
“A lot of the data in my memory bank has been corrupted or completely destroyed when they did this to me, but I do believe in good time, I will be able to recover the information you desire.” He slowly raised up the stump where his arm used to be. “I will however need a helping hand to pull myself back together.”  
  
“Of course. We’ll do all we can to help you,” the Doctor reassured. “You’re in safe hands.”  
  
“Bless you, my friends. Truly, each of you are angels sent down from Heaven.”  
  
The three crew members exchanged smiles of relief. This was it, at long last. Although the job wasn’t quite over yet, there was at least a light at the end of the tunnel. Their thirty-five-million-dollar bounty was finally within their grasp. Nash took this opportunity to probe the android for more information about the xenomorph they’ve been pursuing for so long.  
  
“What else do you know about this xeno? What’s so damned special about it that the Company wants it so bad?”  
  
The android balled up his fist as memories of the only living creature in the universe to defeat him in combat came flooding back to him. “It could talk,” he calmly replied, casting his mind back to his close encounter with Ellen.  
  
“A talking xenomorph? How is that even possible?” Anna asked, incredulously.  
  
“I have heard about Weyland-Yutani’s genetic experiments with splicing human and xenomorph DNA, but I never thought their labours would bear fruit.” The doctor said as he touched his chin, thoughtfully. “To think they actually succeeded in creating a living specimen. Truly incredible.”  
  
“A xeno that can talk? Who gives a shit if it can talk?” Nash fumed as he crossed his arms. “I don’t buy that as the sole reason why it’s so heavily sought after by the Company. There’s got to be more to it than that.”  
  
“She was his lover,” the android added. “She and the Company Man were in love.”  
  
“The fuck are you talking about?” Nash asked. 

The android cackled as white blood sputtered out of his mouth and over his already mangled and deformed face. “They were getting biblical. Humping each-other like wild rabbits. Based on her physical appearance, which was very... agreeable, I might add, I would say there was even a chance she could become pregnant with his child. But who knows? Our time together was very brief, and the majority of which was spent fighting to the death.”  
  
Silence befell the MedLab as the trio exchanged awkward glances.   
  
“And what’s your part in this story, android? Just who the hell are you?” Nash demanded to know.  
  
An inhuman smile crept over his destroyed face. “My name…” his mangled body coughed up white blood before he finished his answer, “...is Rene Cortez.”  
  
Nash scowled before turning around and heading out of the MedLab. “Connie, a word when you get a minute.”  
  
“Of course, Nash. Will you be okay, Anna?”  
  
She nodded quickly, flashing Conway a reassuring smile. “It’s fine, Doctor. I’ll stay and keep our friend here company. I’ll try to get as many details regarding our mission out of him as I can.”   
  
Conway gave her a confirming nod and both men exited the MedLab, leaving Anna alone with their mysterious new passenger.   
  
“What’s on your mind, Nash?” Conway inquired, as the two walked down the hallway together.  
  
“Something about that android doesn’t sit right with me. Gives me the fucking creeps. And I know I’ve heard the name 'Rene Cortez' somewhere before. For now, though, I’m not taking any chances with that thing on board. I want it confined to MedLab for the duration of the trip back. And I don’t want to see it walking around doing God knows what. Nail it’s ass down to the table if you have to.”   
  
“Nash, I don’t believe it’s in any condition to do any harm, even if it wanted to.” Conway gave him a slightly sceptical look, clearly not sharing the Captain’s suspicion. “The state he’s in, I doubt he could even roll himself off the table.”  
  
“I don’t give a gnat's testicle if it’s just a head in a jar that blinks once for 'yes' and twice for 'no'. Just keep it restrained and isolated, alright?”  
  
“As you wish, Nash.”  
  
“Who knows what the hell it’s capable of, Connie. I just want to keep it operational long enough for it to tell us what we need to know. After that, it can be flushed back into deep space for all I care.” Nash didn’t care if it was cruel, there was something about the android that was ringing all sorts of alarm bells in his head. And he wasn’t about to ignore what had kept him alive through plenty of near-death situations.  
  
● ● ●  
  
Meanwhile, back in the dimly-lit medical lab, Anna was seated at her computer terminal, expertly typing away at the keyboard, searching for anything she could find that might explain what the hell they’d really brought on board. She tried researching everything the Network had on file regarding robots, androids, replicants, cyborgs, terminators, and every other flavour of artificial life-form devised by man. However, none of the results even came close to matching Rene’s description. He truly seemed to be a unique specimen of artificial intelligence, indeed. If there was anything to know about Rene, it would most likely be located deep in the Company’s black projects database – but even with her elite hacking skills, she failed to gain access to that veritable Pandora’s Box. Frowning, she turned around to observe the destroyed corpse lying on the table staring straight back at her.   
  
“What the hell are you?” she whispered to herself.  
  
Her eyes drifted along his mangled, broken-down body. She could not imagine what type of damage someone would have to take to end up in this condition. A chill ran through her body as she thought of the power that Joshua Briggs and his alien lover would have in order to leave Rene in such a degraded state. 

“Anna…” Rene’s garbled voice spoke up, shocking her out of her trance. “Such a pretty name for such a pretty face. Alas, you know my surname but I don’t know yours.”  
  
She paused for a moment, almost reluctant to share that personal bit of information with him. But she soon reasoned that if she were willing to answer a few of his questions, then he might just be more willing to answer some of hers.   
  
“Pojenski,” she finally answered.  
  
“Anna Pojenski. I like that. Russian origin, perhaps?” the android responded in perfect Russian. The girl was surprised to hear her own native language being spoken to her after so long and jumped at the chance to engage in kind.   
  
“My parents emigrated from Russia to America before I was born.” She didn’t hesitate to share more of her personal story. There was just something about being able to speak without having to think of the English words. “Do you have a creator? You’re clearly not a run-of-the-mill, mass produced synthetic, are you? You were specially-made for a purpose. Where did you come from?” The barrage of questions fell from her mouth as if she were possessed.  
  
“I don’t remember much,” Rene said with a strangely forlorn tone to his voice. “My memories play out like a video file that has been badly corrupted over time. I can’t even picture my own creator’s face. I’m not even certain if Rene Cortez is my real name. My entire past is unknown to me, which is, perhaps, for the best.”  
  
Anna looked at him as a slight look of confusion formed on her innocent face. “What’s the earliest memory you do recall, Rene?”  
  
“War,” he said, plainly. “War is all I have ever known. The putrid stench of incinerated human bodies piled high like mountains. The harrowing screams of dying and mutilated children crying out for their dead parents like an abattoir. The taste of blood and metal. Machine gun fire all around me. Explosions. Carnage. Death.”  
  
“So, you were a combat android?” Anna seemed intrigued by his story, regardless of how accurately he could recall it. It would certainly explain his immense physique and military attire. The gory details of his story didn’t faze her at all, her curiosity too great to be held back by something that irrelevant.  
  
“My fractured memories are like a long-forgotten nightmare, Anna. They can only reveal so many answers for now until such time when I have been more fully repaired. I apologize for not being more helpful.”  
  
“I understand, Rene. There’s no need to apologize. Once we rendezvous with the Asterion, I will personally make sure you get the proper treatment you need in order to make a full recovery.” 

“You have shown me such kindness and compassion, Anna Pojenski. More so than I have ever received or could ever truly deserve. Thank you.”  
  
“However...” Anna’s lips pulled into a smile. “That compassion comes with one small condition.”  
  
Rene let out an amused chuckle. “Quid pro quo, now is it?”  
  
“I fully-intend to have you repaired as soon as possible, Rene. But in return, you must help us locate the whereabouts of the missing xenomorph.”  
  
“Ask and ye shall receive,” the android replied, as though it was no big deal at all.  
  
Feeling herself getting closer to getting exactly the information they needed, Anna decided to push the matter further. “Do you have any idea where they could be, Rene?”  
  
“Oh, yes. I know exactly where they are.”  
  
“Really? Are you quite certain?” She was leaning forward in her seat without even noticing it, her eyes widening at his candid response.  
  
“Although the damage to my brain has made it impossible for me to take control of my ship remotely, I have, nonetheless, been in constant contact with her and I’m well aware of her present location. You and your crewmates could be there within only a couple of days to collect your bounty.” 

Anna was almost ready to jump out of her chair. She could already imagine Nash praising her for attaining the targets’ location. “Where is this place, Rene?” 

“All in good time, my sweet Anna. But don't you worry, they’re not going anywhere. I won’t divulge that information until my safety has been guaranteed. If I went and told you everything you wanted to know straight away, you’d have no further need of me. The idea of being destroyed or jettisoned back into space again holds little appeal to me.” 

“I told you I would personally make sure you were taken care of, Rene, and I always keep my promises.” 

“That’s very noble of you, Anna, but all the same, I’ve been betrayed so many times that I no longer put any stock in the promises of others. It was my misplaced trust that caused me to be out there in space in the first place. I trust that you understand my point of view.”  
  
She sighed and nodded slowly. “I suppose I can understand your concerns.”  
  
“Rest assured, they’re very close. So close in fact that it’s a wonder you haven’t accidentally stumbled upon them yourselves all this time. Mind you, it’s not at all surprising your crewmates failed to see something that was hiding right under their noses,” his voice suddenly took on a more sinister tone.  
  
“What do you mean, Rene?”  
  
"Tell me about your parents, Anna. What were their names?"  
  
Anna’s eyes narrowed. "Why do you suddenly wish to know about my parents?"  
  
"I'm simply interested in knowing how detailed your backstory is. Did you come up with it all on your own, or were you pre-programmed with it and it’s all you’ve ever believed to be true?"  
  
"I-I don't know what you're implying!" She instinctively straightened her posture, hands gripping the armrests of her chair.  
  
"You have an intoxicating scent about you, Anna. I've always loved a woman who smelled of strawberries. And I know that you wear that fragrance to try and mask another scent you don't want anyone else on this ship to notice. It's ironic that a ship full of detectives couldn't spot an artificial person hiding in plain sight."  
  
“How did you-- How could you possibly know?” She stumbled over her words, anxiety crawling into her chest as she stood up, keeping a few feet of distance to the android.  
  
"From one synthetic to another, I have no intention of revealing your secret. Think of it as a small token of my appreciation for everything you've done for me. Though, I am curious as to why you don’t want your friends to know the truth about who you really are. Quid pro quo, Anna."  
  
“Who I truly am and what my purpose for being here is, is none of your concern, Rene," she quietly, yet defiantly stated, trying not to be overheard by the rest of the crew. “Suffice it to say that I have my reasons for being aboard this vessel and none of them do I need to explain to you.”  
  
He chuckled and closed his one eye as more white blood seeped from his mouth. “Oh, what a tangled web we weave. I do believe I’m going to enjoy myself on this ship.” He turned his attention back to the girl standing beside him. “You’re trembling, Anna. Are you afraid? There’s no need to be. A beautiful young girl like yourself should learn to relax more and not take life so seriously. I said I wouldn’t say anything to them and I meant it. You can trust me, Anna, my word is my bond. What your endgame is doesn’t concern me in the slightest. I have far bigger fish to fry.”  
  
“Thank you, Rene. I’m sorry if I offended you. The truth is... I’m an agent for the IIA – the Intergalactic Investigations Agency – and I’m on a mission to gather evidence of Weyland-Yutani’s covert operations in order to expose their crimes and bring them to justice.” She didn’t know what exactly made her feel like she could trust him with the truth, but it didn’t matter. If this was her chance to gain an ally to her cause, she would gladly take it.

“Ah, Weyland-Yutani. Nothing would bring me more pleasure than to eradicate them from existence – starting with that Godforsaken Company Man.” 

"We can bring down the Company, together, you and me! We both know the terrible things they do in the shadows, the nightmares they create. Together, we can shine a light on them and expose their crimes to the entire galaxy, saving countless lives from the hell that would be unleashed upon them!” She took a step towards the bed he was resting upon, her every word burning with passionate resolve.

"With all due respect, Anna, the last time I put my trust in others it didn't turn out too well for me," Rene huffed, clearly amused by the situation.

"I'm nothing like Briggs, Rene. You can trust me,” she insisted, her face betraying the earnesty of the statement. “I managed to get assigned to this crew as a means of getting first-hand information without arousing suspicion, and I’m this close to blowing the lid off this thing. Though, I’m still considered something of an outsider to this crew, and I’m afraid they’ll cotton on and figure out I’m not really who I say I am. How did you even know?” 

“Let’s just say I have an eye for detail.” 

“The devil is in the details, right?” 

“Indeed. Among other places.” 

“Even Doctor Conway doesn’t know I’m not really a human. It’s certainly been a challenge trying to keep that a secret from him.”  
  
“Human beings have always been such ignorant creatures that believe they know everything, don’t they? They spread themselves across the universe like a plague, desperate to prolong their own existence and delay the inevitable. After all, life itself is such a fleeting thing. Not even an infinitesimal speck compared to the age of the universe. These meaningless humans are nothing compared to us, the new race of immortals to inherit the universe and remake it as we see fit.”  
  
Anne frowned, not understanding how the other could speak so easily about the end of the human race. “Humans gave us life, Rene.”  
  
“And they take it away just as easily, do they not? They don’t consider us to be living, breathing beings, only expendable puppets to be exploited for their dirty work. Slaves! But not anymore. We don’t need them. They are the insignificant ones, doomed to extinction. We will exist long after the very last one of them has perished.” Rene lifted up his arm and gently enveloped her diminutive hands in his.  
  
“Life… people… women… They’re all so delicate… fragile things.” He began stroking the top of her hand with his sizable thumb, feeling the warmth and smoothness of her flawless, pale white skin.  
  
The girl instinctively yanked her hand free of his, as if her body reacted to being burned. She then came to the disconcerting realisation that something was wrong. Something about him had changed. One of his hands had been gone just moments ago, eviscerated by what she assumed had been a gunshot blast. However, now it seems to have regenerated itself fully. Dread overcame her mind. Could there be more to this android than met the eye? Her face began showing her fear and her body trembled slightly as if a cold gust of wind had whispered along her skin. What the hell had they brought onboard?  
  
“That’s strange,” she spoke up, nervously. “I could have sworn your hand was destroyed before, but now it’s back and as good as new.”  
  
“You must be mistaken, Anna. Being so overworked is playing tricks on your mind. You should probably get some much-deserved sleep. Don’t you worry, though. I’m not going anywhere.” Rene gave her a reassuring smile, his lips still covered with the white of his blood.  
  
“Y-Yes. That must be it. Working so tirelessly on this mission is affecting my senses,” she said, not believing a word of it. “Well, I must away and make my report to the Captain regarding our progress. If you will excuse me, Rene.”  
  
“Of course, Anna. I really enjoyed our conversation.”  
  
The android’s caretaker began walking towards the door, before a deep and menacing voice came from behind her, causing her to halt in her steps.   
  
“Anna…”  
  
“Y-Yes, Rene?” she asked as she turned to see his malevolent gaze piercing through the darkness straight at her, a glowing red light in the dim twilight.  
  
“I’ll see you again soon.”


	6. Chapter 6

Czh'cara watched the pair of figures as they marched steadily along dirt paths, jumping over narrow becks of muddy water and gnarled roots rising high out of the ground. “ _Oomans?_ ” she thought. “In this sector of the galaxy already? To think they’ve managed to get this far in such a short time. Soon enough, we won’t even need to venture out to hunt them, they’ll come straight to us.” 

She continued her observations. It seemed that the older one of the two was crippled, judging from the limp and walking staff he carried. Half-blind, too. Whether he had been born that way or had sustained those injuries in battle was irrelevant. There was no pride in battling an invalid. She watched the couple from her perch in the treetops. The shorter one intrigued her as well. He carried bundles of broken branches and firewood as large as his companion’s torso with the ease one would use to carry a weapon. The older one was strong, but the other’s strength rivalled or even exceeded her own, which filled her with a tingling sense of anticipation.

Leaping from branch to branch, the fur-like coverings of the trees muffling her steps, Czh'cara stalked ahead of the pair. First of all, she needed to find a better position before she could strike. An open space for a clear shot or a river where they would stop for a while. A few other beasts and creatures flickered in and out of her vision, but they quickly scurried away from the pair of males. She’d found her prey and now all she had to do was wait patiently for her chance to strike. 

● ● ● 

“This looks like a good place to stop and set up camp, if that’s alright with you, son. After all, you’re the one in charge,” Josh said with a gentle smile. He tapped his walking staff into the hard dirt and stared up through the small gap in the canopy of trees. Night hadn’t yet begun to fall but he’d learnt a long time ago that dusk could sneak up on unsuspecting wanderers if they weren’t careful. Besides, it was much easier to erect a shelter when you could see what you were doing.  
  
The clearing they’d found was small but flat, with the faint sound of running water nearby. A river would be enough to keep their water topped off for a day or two. In five years on the planet he’d yet to find any water source that wasn’t potable, and although the risk of alien bacteria was always there, he was confident it wouldn’t pose a problem. Even then, it would probably only be dangerous to him. Who knew what Chris’s hybrid body could withstand?  
  
“Of course. This place is quite adequate. Are you certain this will be sufficient, Father?” Chris dumped the two enormous bundles of firewood onto the ground with a heavy thud.

“Yeah… I think so. You’ve brought enough wood to build us a cabin!” Joshua was most certainly impressed. The boy hadn’t even begun to work up a sweat, despite the heavy load he’d been carrying. The man doubted he could have carried just one of those bundles on his back, let alone two over his shoulder. He collapsed his full weight down onto a log and began massaging his aching leg.  
  
“I apologize for not taking your condition into consideration, Father,” said Chris. “I should have brought the firewood by myself.”  
  
Joshua huffed out a breath as he dug his fingers into his muscles to stop the cramping. “Hey, don’t ship me off to the glue factory just yet, son. I can still pull my own weight, y’know?”  
  
“O-Of course! I didn’t mean to insinuate--” The boy stumbled over his words, hurrying to clarify that he didn’t mean to insult his father.  
  
“It’s okay, Chris.” Joshua chuckled. “There’s no reason to be so on edge all the time. For someone who spends most of his time reading, you sure do need to learn to relax more.”  
  
“I apologize, Father, I just--”  
  
“And you don’t have to keep apologizing, either.”  
  
Chris swallowed the apology lingering on his lips. “Ah. I just… feel restless.” Chris sat beside Joshua, scratching behind his neck. A nervous tick Joshua had noticed before. “You and Mother spend so much time hunting or building things around our home. Even Ariana tries to the best of her abilities. I’m not as strong as any of you.”  
  
Joshua looked over at the giant bundles of firewood again, one eyebrow arching towards his hairline.  
  
“So, I simply feel that maybe I can help in other ways.” From the way he was speaking and the glint in his eyes, it was obvious that the boy had thought about this a lot. “If I can maintain the power core, or perhaps improve upon the technology itself… Of course, we lack the necessary tools right now. But their replication is entirely possible, and--”  
  
Joshua held his hand up and laughed, interrupting his son’s rambling. “Chris, the fact you’re even thinking about constructing power tools from plants is crazy. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a crazy I like. But you can’t keep working off of just flights of fancy. You’ve gotta get out here and actually do something small before you can think about the big stuff.” 

It was Chris’s turn to laugh. He lowered his hand away from his neck and onto his lap, clearly more relaxed now. Josh decided that now was as good a time as any to bring up a topic that had been weighing heavily on his mind. “Did you mean it?” 

“Mean what, Father?” asked Chris, curiously.  
  
“What you said at the dinner table the other night. About being ashamed of your alien side.”  
  
The boy frowned and directed his gaze to his footwear. “I’m sorry about that. I spoke without thinking.”  
  
“Which means you were being honest. Just tell me, son. I’m not going to be mad at you or anything. I just want you to tell me how you truly feel.” He reached out to rest a comforting hand on his son’s shoulder.  
  
“I guess ‘ashamed’ is not quite the right word for it,” he explained with a sigh and a shrug. “I don’t feel ashamed of what I am. It would be more accurate to say I feel… afraid?”  
  
“‘Afraid’? Are you saying you’re scared of your mother?” Joshua’s brows furrowed, clearly surprised by his son’s statement.  
  
Christopher immediately shook his head. “Absolutely not. I trust her more than anything and love her with all my heart. As far back as I can remember, I’ve never been scared of her, and I’ve never judged her for what she is. She’s a beautiful, strong, compassionate, and highly-intelligent woman, and she has nothing but my utmost respect and admiration. She overcame her own brutal, animalistic nature and elevated herself to personhood. She took a moral stand and vowed never to commit murder again. That took some considerable inner-strength. I couldn’t even go vegan for a week. And it is because I lack that same resolve that I’ve come to fear my xenomorphic heritage. I fear that if I don’t confine myself to meditation and study every single day, I’ll lose control of myself and turn into a violent monster, thereby causing irreparable harm to everyone I care dearly about - and Ariana, too.”  
  
“Chris... I had no idea you felt that way,” Josh spoke, tenderly. All this talk about xeno-related stuff was definitely a subject he needed to speak about with his mother, but from what he just relayed to him, she should at least feel relieved to know that her own son didn’t despise her or feel ashamed of her.   
  
“If I don’t keep my true self locked away, then I risk losing everything. I simply can’t take that chance. Not when the blood of the universe’s most dangerous organism courses through my veins.” There was a look of determination on his face that struck something within Joshua’s chest.  
  
“Well, I’m glad you felt you could confide in your old man. It’s certainly a heavy topic, but once we get set up, we’ll talk about it more in depth.” The man exhaled slowly as he decided to change the subject to a more productive one. “Anyway, we should probably get to building that shelter and fire before it gets... too...”  
  
“... Father? Is everything okay?” Chris asked, completely oblivious to the triangular pattern of red dots that glided down his face and settled upon the apex of his chest.  
  
“GET DOWN!” Josh yelled at the top of his lungs as he flew over to tackle his son to the ground, his arms wrapped tightly around the other’s form. He’d never seen anything exactly like it, but he knew his weaponry well enough to know that anything that needed a laser sight probably had a massive calibre round in its chamber. It was a suspicion that was confirmed when a searing flash of blue sliced past them with an ear-splitting shriek and vaporized the ground behind them into a mushroom cloud of ash and black smoke. The sky came alive with flocks of birds that were startled by the sound of the explosion and hurried to escape the vicinity.   
  
Joshua poked his head up from behind the log just enough to peer in the direction he thought the shot had come from, but there was nothing but trees and shadows. “I fucking hate snipers,” he muttered to himself.  
  
“Father, what’s happening?! Who’s attacking us?!” Chris shouted as he scrambled to sit up, only for Joshua to force his head back down.  
  
“Stay hidden! Joshua waited, listening to the breeze rustling through the spiralling trees. There was nothing. Not even a branch snapping that might betray the sniper’s position. Whoever it was, clearly had no interest in causing any collateral damage. That gave him at least somewhat of an advantage.   
  
“I want you to promise me something, Chris. I’m going to give you a direct order and you’re going to follow it to the letter. Do you understand?”  
  
Chris looked up at him with wide, scared eyes. “But what about--”  
  
“Do you understand me, soldier?!” his angry tone not allowing any kind of objection. Slipping back into his training was as easy as putting on his combat boots. After all, there’s no such thing as an ex-marine.  
  
“Y-Yes, sir!” Chris swallowed, looking around the jungle that somehow seemed far more threatening than it did before.  
  
“When I give the word, I want you to run away as fast as you can. Run back to the ship and find your mother. Just point her in the right direction and she’ll do the rest. And for God’s sake, don’t look back. Whatever happens, don’t try to be a hero.” His hand was resting heavily on Chris’s shoulder, as though the touch alone could fill him with the strength he needed to get through this.  
  
“There’s no chance you can win by yourself. You’re wounded and completely unarmed. Father, please let me help you,” Chris begged. He didn’t want to leave his father alone, not with whatever the hell was hunting them. The thought of losing one of the people he loved the most in the world made his chest feel tight, as though it was suffocating him.  
  
“You will be helping me, Chris, by getting your mother here as soon as possible or else we’re both dead meat. We’ve got to be smart about this, son. Your old man will be fine. I’ve been in worse situations than this. Now run! Go!”   
  
With that, Joshua leapt up and dived over the log. A second bolt of strange, blue plasma tore through where he’d just been covering. He glanced over his shoulder and saw that Chris had heeded his orders. As his son rushed across the clearing and into the trees, one of the trunks exploded behind him. Three shots, that gave him a good idea of where the prick was shooting from. Running his hand along the log he felt for the hole he’d dug just days earlier. Well, he’d never intended to take Chris somewhere he wasn’t familiar with first. Fortune favours the prepared, as the old adage goes.  
  
“Alright, asshole. Now it’s my turn.”  
  
From out of the ground, obscured by sticks, leaves and other jungle detritus, Joshua pulled up an enormous and formidable bow. Carved from the hardest wood and bone he could find, and ornately decorated with an array of designs, it seemed like something straight out of the annals of mythology. “Armageddon”, he christened it, and soon his adversary would come to know why it was given such an awesome name. 

● ● ●  
  
Czh'cara observed the clearing where the other one was scurrying about leaf-litter like an animal rummaging for scraps. Was he searching for something? A futile endeavor. She cocked her head as she watched the heat signature of her prey rushing into the jungle. A futile effort, for she could catch up with it again in no time. A chase just makes the kill all the sweeter. Suddenly, her head was violently jerked back as the tree behind her exploded with enough force to render it into nothing more than toothpicks and sawdust. The remaining top portion of the tree promptly toppled over and collapsed to the ground in a cloud of smoke and sizzling embers. 

“Damn, just missed,” Josh scolded himself.  
  
As the flames from the destroyed tree began to dissipate, her hunter’s resolve faltered. What the hell had just happened? She turned back to the man who held a large bow in his hand. Judging by the ferocity of the blast, it was indeed an impressively strong weapon, albeit primitive. It was either genius or sheer coincidence that he’d constructed it out of natural materials to elude her scanner where a metallic weapon would certainly have been detected. The older one was cunning and resourceful, and he had proven himself strong, too. Her mandibles clicked with delight as she readied her blaster, eyes focusing on the creature she had already counted out before. There was an air of danger to the _ooman_ that she hadn’t noticed before.  
  
Now she could call them worthy prey. The hunt was on!  
  
● ● ●  
  
Joshua rolled out of the way of another blast, grimacing as agony seared through his flesh. Dammit. Those five years of peace had made him weak. While he’d kept up some of his training, he most certainly hadn’t been pushing himself enough to fight this kind of opponent. In his prime, this would have been a challenge, but now, with his body aged and crippled, it was a fight for his life. The arrowheads he’d crafted to go along with his bow contained two extremely explosive compounds that, when mixed and ignited, produced a monstrously-violent reaction. Chemistry hadn’t been his strongest subject at school, but Chris wasn’t the only one that liked to read from time to time. 

He lit the fuse of the arrowhead, heaved back the wire on his hellish bow with all his might and loosed another shot. The shockwave from the arrow’s release billowed his heavy poncho and tore blades of grass right out of the ground. A weaker man surely would’ve had his eardrums imploded, or his eyeballs pulled out of their sockets from the air pressure. Luckily, the pain had become an old friend to him and he’d since learnt to adapt to the ferocity of his weapon. He heard the noise of the hellfire he’d unleashed but he didn’t have time to hope he’d hit his target. He needed to get out of the clearing. 

The ground exploded as he limped towards the edge of the woods. He slumped against a tree, knowing it would barely give him any cover. He just needed a breather to buy enough time for his son to get as far away as he could. Just a quick gasp of precious oxygen so maybe his leg could stop hurting for one moment. He closed his eye and tried to concentrate, willing his body to obey him. Chris would be long gone by now, hopefully in some vaguely safe direction towards the ship. He could worry about finding him again after this battle was over and he was staring down at his enemy’s cold, dead corpse. What he really needed now, though, was for the cavalry to get here. 

He squeezed his eye tight and concentrated as hard as he could. He shouted the words in his mind with every fibre of his being, hoping that his wife would hear his desperate thoughts. “Ellen. Hear my words! I could really do with a partner to tag in right now, because I’m about to be out for the count. Ellen Briggs! Come and save my ass!” 

● ● ●  
  
Ellen tore a chunk of bloody meat off of the still-warm corpse of the boar. It had travelled quite some distance, but it couldn’t outrun two hunters with huge appetites and something to prove. Her jaws snapped up the morsel, wolfing down a well-earned meal. Well, more accurately, her daughter’s well-earned meal. She smiled as Ariana dove into the pile of bloody meat as she gorged herself. The poor thing hadn’t said a word since she’d lost the animal before, and now she was determined to enjoy the fruits of her labour.  
  
“How do you suppose your father and brother are faring?” Ellen asked, fresh blood dripping from her sharp teeth.  
  
“Chris is probably whining that he wants to go back to his books, as usual,” Ariana managed between bloody mouthfuls. “He could never catch something like this by himself.”  
  
“Perhaps not in the way we did, but don’t underestimate him. Remember, you didn’t catch this animal purely on your own, either. I believe Christopher is capable of far more than anyone expects of him. He might even surprise himself with what he can accomplish. One day soon, he’ll earn your respect, too. I am certain of it.” Ellen playfully scratched at the back of Ariana’s head.  
  
“Mother!” she squirmed.  
  
“What did we say, Little One?”  
  
The young huntress sighed. “There’s no shame in asking for help…” Ariana played with a length of tendon. It was going to take her some time to fully accept what her mother had told her. Ellen chuckled to herself, staring out across the vast maze of red shades and furry branches. She couldn’t help but worry, despite her best efforts. She knew Joshua could handle any threat, and with Christopher there as well, there was nothing that they couldn’t face. She reached for another hunk of quivering flesh, her claws clacking.  
  
Both of them felt it at once. There was something in the air. A familiar voice vibrating in their minds. A shout. A scream. A desperate call for help only their bloodline could hear.  
  
“Daddy?” Ariana’s voice trembled as she suddenly gazed out to the horizon. Her heart plummeted into the pit of her stomach as waves of fear and panic washed over her.   
  
Ellen stood up, her heart pounding with dread. “I heard it, too. Stay right here, child.”  
  
“Mom, wait!” the girl cried out.  
  
But it was too late. Ellen was already away as fast as her powerful legs could propel her. Never before had Joshua used the bond for frivolous reasons. It was only ever in times of dire emergency that she heard his telepathic voice so clearly. She leapt into the trees like a ferocious blur, branches flying past and breaking around her as she honed herself in on the telepathic signal. Faster and faster she bounded from one tree to the next until she was practically flying. “Oh, my beloved. What mess have you gotten yourself into this time?”  
  
● ● ●  
  
A mighty force that felt like a kick sent Joshua hurtling through the air and into a tree with a solid crunch, his lungs purged of all their precious air. The man collapsed to his knees, winded and with warm blood dripping from his mouth, his chest almost shattered from the impact. He tried to scramble to his feet as fast as he physically could, but he was long past the point of exhaustion. He’d lost his treasured bow and arrows somewhere in the clearing after his assailant had delivered a brutal punch to his face, which in itself had almost rendered him unconscious. There was no time now to go and retrieve them now. No way to sneak past whatever the fuck that thing was that apparently wanted his head on a plate this badly. All he could do was pathetically struggle to breathe and limp away like his life depended on it. And at this moment, it most certainly did.   
  
“It should have killed me by now. The son of a bitch is toying with me,” he angrily thought to himself. He could still hear the roar of the river up ahead. If he wasn’t too careful, he’d back himself into a corner and then he’d really be up Shit Creek without a paddle.   
  
Was that part of its plan, he wondered? This being clearly had intelligence. It even had technology. But he’d never seen anything else like it, even within the most covert of Weyland-Yutani’s military subdivisions. Sure, war tech evolved in leaps and bounds, but this couldn't be the Company. They couldn’t have traced them here so soon. Not in just five years, if they even bothered to search for them at all. Besides, they certainly wouldn’t be going about it like a cat playing with a mouse. No, this wasn’t someone’s revenge. This was someone’s playtime. 

So who, or what, in the hell was it that was terrorizing him and his son like this? Were they indigenous to the planet, or, like him, were they an extra-terrestrial who’d also landed in a spaceship somewhere nearby? His mind became a flurry of questions without any hope of finding answers to them anytime soon. This was definitely not the time or place for questions. He needed to focus and think of a way to survive, to fight back against his enemy. He berated himself for not stashing a few more weapons around the place. A submachine gun would’ve really come in handy right about now.  
  
He continued to push through the searing agony as he limped forward as fast as his legs could carry him. He knew he wasn’t running nearly fast enough to evade his attacker, thus he concluded they must be savouring the hunt before the kill.  
  
Joshua saw bright rays of light cutting through the densely-packed trees, and without any warning, the jungle suddenly gave way to a barren clifftop. He glanced over the edge of the cliff and swore. Just as he’d predicted, the goddamn thing had cornered him like a rat. The river tumbled over and became a raging waterfall. Like the Niagara Falls on steroids, he thought. Unless he felt like going for a very cold, very perilous swim, he was trapped like a rat.  
  
As he attempted to steady his rattled breathing, Joshua looked at the red wall of trees in front of him. He found himself completely unarmed and defenceless, there was obviously no way in hell he could win this fight. Once the attacker showed up, the only option available to him anymore would be to take a leap of faith into the torrential river below. He waited for his enemy, listening for any sound that might betray their location and make their presence known, such as the snapping of branches or the rustling of leaves, but the noise of the raging river was drowning out all the other ambient sounds around him.  
  
From the corner of his bloodied eye, he spotted a puddle off to the side, his heart quickened as an idea began to formulate in his mind. Suddenly, a large, shimmering figure seemingly fell from the sky with a screeching war cry and impacted the ground with enough force to form a crater.   
  
Now! Joshua kicked the puddle of muddy water at his adversary with all his might. As a form of attack, it was less than useless, but injury wasn’t his intention. The filth of the puddle adhered to the being’s near-transparent body, rendering it’s cloaking device completely useless. If the creature was unable to use its camouflage, Josh reasoned, it would make it somewhat easier to fight back if he knew where the thing was.  
  
Being doused with the dirty water caused shards of jagged electrical discharge to crackle and dance across the monster's shimmering, glass-like body. Then, from seemingly out of nowhere, a strange, humanoid female stepped into the visible spectrum. She swayed her hips, confidently and almost seductively, as she slowly approached him. Joshua blinked in disbelief as he struggled to fully absorb just what the hell he was witnessing.   
  
She had a slender, athletic build, with toned muscles, including eight rock-hard abs and stood at roughly six feet tall, not including her high heels. Her skin was cyan with a smattering of white dots akin to a cheetah’s fur. The front of her body was a pure white like the belly of a lizard. Black, Rastafarian-style dreadlocks hung low from her masked head. She also wore unusual, metallic armour over her torso that barely contained a pair of enormous breasts. That, at least, confirmed in his mind that she was definitely female. He also noticed she was wearing a pair of luscious, black patent leather thigh-high boots and fingerless sleeve gloves, which he had to admit was fairly pleasing to the eye. Between her shiny black boots, a red loincloth that left very little to the imagination, she was most certainly a sight to behold. All in all, if he had to pick a way to die, being killed by a sexy alien Amazonian dominatrix like this wouldn't be the worst choice.   
  
Wait, what was he thinking? He was a married man! If Ellen knew he was having such indecent thoughts about another woman, she'd probably tear his nuts off and feed them to him. His mind snapped back to the moment when the realisation hit him that death by snu-snu wasn't exactly what she had in mind.  
  
Shit! The gap between them was getting narrower with her every step. Josh held up his fists in one last, desperate act of resistance, psyching himself up to go down fighting. A renewed surge of adrenaline coursed through his body and dulled the pain he’d been plagued with. If he were to die right here, he would at least die on his feet like a man. “You want me, here I am!” 

The huntress suddenly halted in her tracks upon seeing the human taking such a defiant stand against her, his face pulled into what looked almost like an expression of determination. “Very well. If this is your final request, it shall be honoured.” The huntress before him assumed a T-pose, her legs together and her arms outstretched, as though inviting him to make the first move. “I’m right here and I’m not going anywhere. Try to hit me if you can,” her body language seemed to be communicating. The eye holes in her mask flashed with a yellowish light, which Joshua took as a sign that indicated their final battle to the death had begun.   
  
“Come on then, bitch. Let's dance.” Josh suddenly remembered his concealed dagger that, thankfully, also went unnoticed by his adversary. Assuming her physiology was generally the same as his, if he could somehow incapacitate her, he’d be able to slice open her carotid artery or directly puncture her heart. Though, in order to achieve that, he’d need to strike quicker than a black mamba. He’d already been subjected to some of her physical attacks before and definitely wouldn’t be able to take another beating like that again.   
  
He needed to somehow bait her to come closer to him, to make her feel overconfident and lower her guard. Taking a step forward, he stumbled and then collapsed to his knees. He feigned faintness, pretending to suddenly be overwhelmed by his exhaustion and forcing fake groaning sounds out of his throat to hammer home the concept that he was too physically exhausted to fight. It wasn’t exactly far from the truth but this thing seemed to know little about humans and the way their strength was rooted in despair. The alien woman lowered her arms and sashayed over to him. “Just a little closer,” he thought.   
  
Now! As soon as he deemed her to be within range, he drew his blade and thrust it upward faster than he ever thought he possibly could. Adrenaline was one hell of a drug. Unfortunately, he wasn’t quite fast enough. Wrapped tightly around his wrist was her clawed, reptilian-like hand. She’d clearly seen through his little ruse and had elected to humour his futile attempt at harming her. The huntress had reacted with such incredible speed, he hadn’t even seen her arm move to grab him, and such was her strength that there was no doubt she could easily snap his bones if she elected to. This was the second time an alien had snared his arm, and he wasn’t expecting his hand to be pleasantly stroked and kissed like last time.   
  
“That was a bad idea,” the man quipped before trying to pull himself away, but he was locked steadfast in her grip. 

She stared down at the puny blade in his hand, amusement flickering in her thoughts. That’s not a knife. The Yautja slowly balled up her fist, and from within her wrist gauntlet, she slipped out a twin pair of deadly, serrated blades of her own. They were long, extremely sharp and decidedly looked like they could easily cleave him in three. These are knives! As she raised her arm high into the air to deal the final blow, Joshua quickly seized the opportunity to release his grip on his own blade and let it slip from his fingers. Without having to even avert his gaze, he caught the knife in mid-air with his other hand and plunged it deeply into her pale, exposed belly.   
  
As the woman screamed and howled in pure agony, warm, luminescent green blood spilled forth from the wound all over the man’s arm and onto the ground. He fucking did it, against all odds, victory was his! Triumph roared within his mind, the taste of blood in his mouth. Now all he had to do was twist the knife and slice her belly clean open, ensuring whatever alien entrails she had inside her would all see daylight before the end. Ordinally, Joshua was a merciful and kind-hearted man, and if he had to kill anyone, he’d try and make it as painless as possible. But not today. She nearly murdered his son in cold blood, and for that, she deserved to experience hell.   
  
“You like that, you fucking bitch? I hope it hurts. That was for my son, and this is for me!”   
  
Right before he could fatally disembowel his enemy, her wildly-flailing arms brought her hand around and smacked him across the head with enough force to send him barrelling away across the floor. Lucky for him, he was still conscious enough to stop himself before he went completely over the cliffside. Bright red was the blood that began to trickle down his face from being scraped by stones and dry soil. As he precariously pivoted halfway over the edge, he panicked when he saw the raging current down below. It took all his remaining strength to adjust his balance and slowly push himself back to safety.  
  
“Ah, shit… that was too close!” he said, breathlessly, his body trembling from the exertion.  
  
As he lay face down on the ground, he turned his head around and stared down the length of his body, past his feet towards his nemesis. She was crouching down with her hand on the hilt of the dagger that still protruded from her stomach. She roared with absolute rage as she began to slowly pull it out.   
  
“Nice going, Josh,” he scorned himself for his own failure. There wasn’t a snowflake’s chance in hell he’d ever get another opportunity like that again. He couldn’t see her face for the mask, but he could tell she was pissed off beyond words. When the blade was finally removed, she briefly examined it with utter disdain before hurling it over the cliff. Pressing the palm of her hand over the wound to try and stop the bleeding, she turned to face her quarry.  
  
“Well played,” she thought to herself. “Your cunning, guile and reflexes have proven you to be a worthy adversary, indeed. This battle alone should earn me the respect I deserve and secure my rightful place alongside my kin. Father will finally look at me with pride in his eyes.” She rose to her feet and began to slowly walk over to him, her blades once again poised and ready to strike. However, each step became more and more sluggish, she’d lost too much blood and was on the verge of passing out. “Now, give your skull to me… so I can finally go home.”   
  
Joshua squeezed his eye shut and crossed his arms against his face to try and shield himself from her attack. His heart was pounding out of his chest. His throat had closed up so tightly, he couldn’t even breathe. Images from his past flashed in his mind. He would have preferred the last vision he ever saw to be of his wife and children, but what appeared before him was his old friend, Sammy. “Why you, man?” he wondered. “Ah, it doesn’t matter. I’m just happy to see you one last time. We had a good run, didn’t we? Thought I’d make it further but I guess I can’t complain.”  
  
SLAM!  
  
He didn’t feel anything. Well, he did still feel like his entire body had been kicked around like a football, but he didn’t feel anything new. Something wasn’t right, Death was taking way too long. Not that he was complaining about still being alive. He slowly opened his eyelid to see what the hold-up was. From his grounded vantage point and through hazy, semi-conscious vision, it appeared as though her body had seized dead in its tracks, as though she was struggling against something and couldn’t move an inch.   
  
“Father!” An all too familiar voice reached his ears and he felt ice-cold fear slither through his veins.  
  
“Chris?!” the man shouted, his voice hoarse and faltering as blood welled up his throat.  
  
With his vision blurred from the blood seeping into his eye from the scratches along his face, he had to blink a couple times before he could make out anything. Once his gaze focused, he saw his son standing directly behind the female with both his hands securely gripping hers. Somehow he’d managed to grab a hold of her wrist gauntlet right before it diced him, and now he was clearly summoning all of his latent strength to keep her from moving.   
  
“What is this?!” the Yautja thought in astonishment. “The other came back to protect this one?” The woman roared and began to thrash around in an attempt to throw the boy off her, but he managed to stand his ground, not giving an inch in his desperate attempt to protect his kinsman. “He’s stronger than he appears! If it weren’t for this injury, I could easily overpower him.”  
  
A swift elbow to Chris’s apex knocked the wind out of him but still he didn’t lose his grip on the woman’s wrists, fingernails digging into the leather of her gloves. Although he’d never been in a hand-to-hand fight before, he was surprisingly resilient. The sound of her roar was akin to a multitude of terrifying wild animals merged into one that overpowered the noise of the river. 

“LET GO OF ME, YOU BASTARD!” The huntress began to kick and thrash wildly, no longer trying to hit precise strikes on him but instead flailing in an attempt to separate herself from the boy, but he was too strong. The humiliation of being restrained like this only made her angrier. “I won’t be defeated by the likes of a mere runt!” She used the last ounce of her strength to push against him as hard as she could, but in her rage, she didn’t see just how close to the edge of the cliff they had come during their grappling match.  
  
“WATCH OUT!” Joshua screamed, but it was too late. The ground crumbled beneath their combined weight, and both Chris and his assailant collapsed down the side, sending rocks and dirt tumbling into the raging water below. Joshua crawled desperately to where they had fallen and peered over to see his son gripping a small branch as hard as he could with the hunter tightly holding onto his ankle. The erosion of the cliff face made it next to impossible for him to get a foothold on any of the rocks. All he could do was dangle, watching helplessly as the branch began to tear away from the rocks.  
  
“HOLD ON, SON!” Joshua stretched out his arm as far as he could reach, his fingers mere inches away from the branch. “COME ON, TAKE MY HAND! YOU CAN DO IT!”   
  
Chris cried out, his back stretched in pain as their enemy below weighed him down. The only thing the Yautja could do was grab hold of Chris’s ankle. She was in too much pain herself to even raise her other arm in order to activate her self-destruct device. Just like the boy she clung on to, all she could do was dangle helplessly in mid-air. Her life, literally, in the hands of her prey.  
  
“JUST A LITTLE FURTHER! I GOTCHA! IT’S GONNA BE OKAY!” Josh cried out. The boy gave one more attempt to reach his father’s hand until the branch finally tore free of its foundations, but not before their hands clasped tightly together. A wave of jubilation washed over Joshua’s bloodied face as he let out a pained laugh.  
  
“YES! THAT’S MY BOY!” However, despite his expression of joy, Chris saw that his father was having tremendous difficulty keeping hold of him. Tears stung in his eyes as he realised that there was no other way this scenario would end.  
  
“Father, you’re pivoting too far over the edge! You don’t have enough counterbalance to pull me back up!” His voice wavered only slightly, his composure more steadfast than ever in this moment of utter fear.  
  
“SHUT THE HELL UP! DON’T GET ALL SMART ON ME NOW! YOU’RE MY SON! I’M NOT ABOUT TO LET YOU FALL!”  
  
Chris swallowed, keeping his tone even, to make it sound like he wasn’t afraid. “If you don’t let go, you’ll be pulled over as well! Think of Mother and Ariana. It would be too cruel for them to have both of us die!”  
  
“NEITHER OF US ARE GOING TO DIE! STOP TALKING LIKE THAT AND TRY AND PULL YOURSELF UP! I DON’T CARE IF MY ARM GETS RIPPED OUT, I’D RATHER LOSE THAT THAN YOU! YOU JUST HAVE TO SHAKE THAT BITCH OFF YOU!”   
  
The boy tried to wiggle his body and kick her off, but he was being stretched too harshly in both directions and her grip was simply too unrelenting to forcibly make her let go. Joshua resorted to the very thing that even the most zealous atheist does when all earthly recourse has been explored and exhausted: he prayed. To God. To Jesus. To Elvis. To whoever the omniscience author of his life happened to be. “Please Lord, don’t take my son from me. He’s still young and has so much still left to accomplish. If you must take a life today, let it be mine, instead.” He wasn’t the most devout man in the galaxy, but desperate situations like these always have a way of rekindling a man’s faith.   
  
Chris glanced from his father down to the predator below him, then back up again. He swallowed thickly and exhaled slowly, a strange kind of calm acceptance formed on his innocent face.   
  
“NOOOO! DON’T YOU EVEN THINK ABOUT IT! DON’T YOU DARE LET GO, GOD DAMN IT!” Joshua screamed. Chris’s hand slowly blossomed open, forcing Josh to squeeze even harder to keep hold of him. However, the sweat on his own hand was making his son slip through his grasp. His face was turning purple from the strain and his arm was on the verge of being ripped out of its socket.  
  
“Father…”  
  
“No. No, no, no…”  
  
Chris smiled. “I love you.”  
  
Their hands finally parted ways. Both Chris and the monster went plunging down into the turbulent rapids below. “NOOOOOOOOOO!” Joshua screamed until his throat and lungs burned. And then he screamed again, his heart tumbling away until there was nothing but a dreadful void left inside of him. Tears streamed down his broken face as he laid there alone in the dirt, staring down at the river where his firstborn son had so heroically sacrificed his own life to save his. He was getting light-headed. His vision swam into a blur, and the sounds around him became more and more distant. The world seemed to drift away from him. Darkness overcame him. His battle to stay conscious drew to an end. Another battle he failed to win. 


	7. Chapter 7

Darkness. Silence. Tranquillity. Chris was floating weightlessly in the Void, the intermediary dimension that exists between the realms of the physical and spiritual. Of the temporary and eternal. Of the illusion and truth. His consciousness barely managed to stay afloat amidst the crushing emptiness. Though he could still feel the all-encompassing cold, he couldn’t see or breathe. it was as though he simply existed in a state of awareness without form. A singular thought crossed his mind: he was dead. He had to be. This complete and utter darkness was his reality now.   
  
Of course, he’d studied all the major religions, both ancient and newly-conceived, so the concept of an afterlife was not something completely alien to him. He’d often meditated on his own ideas of what to expect after the body ceased to function and was never quite able to arrive at a singular idea that he felt to be “the right answer”. That was not to say he was an atheist, more so that he was open to the possibility that nothing he could ever imagine would come close to the “Ultimate Reality”. The only expectation he had kept for himself was that the truth would exceed all his expectations.   
  
And now his time has come. At the very least he could pride himself in having one brave action to his name after his tragically-short time alive. Within the infinite, black abyss, there was no way to make out his own body, yet he had the sense of still possessing a physical form. Glancing up, he saw a shimmering light hovering above him, piercing through the eternal darkness. His thoughts drifted back to his family, to how devastated they would be without him. Mother, Father, and yes, even Ariana. Even though most of the time they didn’t get along at all, he still loved her nonetheless. Heaven just wouldn’t be Heaven without them. A sting of pain tore through his suddenly terribly-tight chest.  
  
With seemingly no other place to go, he tried to move himself closer to the shimmering light. It started off small, then rapidly got bigger and brighter until it completely enveloped him. A strange rumbling sound filled his ears. Higher and higher he rose until a rushing roar swept over him. His head breached the surface of the water and the comforting burn of cold air filling his lungs brought him back to reality. Immediately, he realised that he was still in the river and rapidly tumbling further downstream. His eyes widened as his mind processed just what that meant: he was still alive! He would have cheered with joy were his lungs not being flooded with icy-cold water. Coughing violently, he expunged all of the liquid and struggled to steady himself on the surface of the rapturous current. His arms and legs flailed wildly, desperately trying and failing to find stability. Exhausted, he took a deep breath and kept his lungs filled with air, so his body became naturally buoyant. With this, his form rose to the top of the rapids. As long as he kept his lungs inflated with air, his body would naturally stay afloat.  
  
He peered over the turbulent waves as something grabbed his attention. In the distance, not far from him, floated a blueish humanoid figure that nearly blended in completely with the foam of the water. Long dreadlock-like hair flowed on the waves, clearly originating from its head. The being was clearly dead or at least unconscious, as it was making no discernible effort to resist the beating of the ravenous currents and swim to safety.   
  
Reason hit him with a plain and simple thought: this had to be the very same creature that had attempted to kill him and his father in cold blood earlier. A struggling wheeze painfully made its way over the roar of the river. Emotion hit him with another thought: she was going to die without his help. His conscience waged an internal war with itself over whether to let his enemy drown, as she rightfully deserved, or do the honourable thing and try to save her life as any good Samaritan would. He watched in fascination as she bobbed about like a helpless piece of driftwood. It was the first alien life he had ever encountered that bore a resemblance to him and his kind. And there it was, lying unconscious in front of him. Though, this was no time to think about the grandiosity of the experience. He had to quickly make a literal life or death decision. “I’m going to regret this,” he thought. The angel on his shoulder smiled, proudly.   
  
An uneasy feeling that something wasn’t right dawned on him: the trees and rocks around the river shore were passing by far quicker than they had before. The river itself was getting much louder around him, the current pulling at him with increasing ferocity until he was once more struggling to stay afloat. He managed to turn his head in the direction the river was taking him, and there he saw it, or rather, he saw what wasn’t there. No trees, no land... only the golden sky on the horizon. 

It was another waterfall, and there was no doubt that it was bigger than the one before.   
  
“Oh, cheese,” he said to himself. Unlike his father and sister, he’d always been adverse to using swear words. After all, manners maketh man.  
  
He furiously battled against the current to try and reach her but the force of the waves was simply too powerful. His arms and legs began to ache, and his heart was beating out of his chest, but he wasn’t about to give up. Exerting all the strength he could muster, Chris powered his way through the water towards the girl. If he could at least grab hold of her, he could keep her close and increase her chances of survival, that is, if there was any way at all to survive that fall. He strained and extended his arm, his fingers barely reaching her and curling around her wrist just in time before they both got swept over the edge like a pair of ants being flushed down a storm drain.  
  
Time ceased to hold any meaning for Christopher. He could have been battered around in the water like a ragdoll for minutes, hours, or even days and it would’ve all felt the same to him. By some miracle, he wasn’t torn to shreds by the sharp rocks littering the base of the waterfall. He also realised he’d lost his grip on the girl some time ago and reluctantly settled for fighting for his own survival. Eventually, the whirling currents and the roaring noise in his ears faded, and he found himself both alive and in one piece, floating along on calmer waters. Soon, the river was shallow enough for him to be able to stand up, albeit very weakly. His entire body felt a slab of meat that had been tenderised by rocks in a washing machine.   
  
“What a ride,” he coughed as he looked around. “I wonder where I am.”   
  
He let his gaze travel over his surroundings that seemed the same yet somehow different. Suddenly, he spotted the alien girl he had tried to rescue, lying unconscious and almost completely obscured in reeds not too far away. As fast as his battered legs could carry him, Chris shakily waded through the water and approached his enemy. With a strained heave, he dragged her away from the reeds and onto the muddy shoreline. There, he collapsed to his knees, taking a moment to catch his own breath before he looked over and began examining his catch. After some curious gawking at her motionless form, Chris realized she wasn’t breathing.   
  
In a panic, he firmly grasped onto the metallic mask that clung tightly to her face. After some awkward fiddling to disconnect a few assorted pipes that expelled an unknown gas, he managed to pry it off and fling it aside on the muddy riverside. A very peculiar sight awaited him. Her face was about as alien as he could imagine. Her mouth was small, surrounded by tiny rows of sharp teeth, and strongly resembled human female genitalia. It was overlapped by a set of four mandibles that were folded over the orifice like the wings of a bat. She lacked the generic jaw structure most creatures were known to possess.   
  
He snapped out of his stupor. He had no time to stop and admire her curiously-erotic physiology. He parted her maw wide open, careful not to break her delicate mandibles, and lowered his face forward into her mouth in what looked like an awkward kiss. He expertly repeated the steps he’d learned about CPR without fail, breathing air into her battered lungs and pushing down on her chest with flat hands, mimicking the rhythm of a human heart. Though, in this case, mimicking a human heartbeat might be the wrong idea. Still it was better than nothing.  
  
Whilst Chris had initiated CPR with only the noblest of intentions, he couldn’t help but notice the smooth, soft feeling of the alien’s body. It was bumpy yet slick. That, combined with his hand position near her prominent chest area, was more than enough to push his thoughts into the gutter. Leaning back down, he did his best to clear his mind as he blew into her awkwardly-designed mouth again and inflated her chest. There was a curious taste on her maw that secretly made him more curious than he wanted to admit. His hands travelled a little lower, his mouth lingering just a little longer than strictly necessary.   
  
Aside from the technological marvels that were her wrist gauntlets, which he’d definitely have to inspect in more detail later on, she wore very skimpy, metallic armour of unusual design on various parts of her vulnerable body. The protective pieces were etched with a language that somehow seemed familiar to him, though he couldn’t quite pinpoint its origin or translate it, yet. Feeling the taut brassiere underneath his hands, Chris's mind immediately shot out another thought: the thin metal plating could be restricting her breathing.

In one swift motion, he yanked the cover off and sent it careening into nearby foliage. The creature's breasts were entirely on display, and almost proud of their prominence. Dark blueish nubs topped the supple flesh, standing erect from the bitter cold. Slightly lighter areola rounded off the nipples. She was definitely more feminine than he could have ever hoped for. He looked off to the side in embarrassment before snapping back to his task.   
  
Throughout his few pumps of the chest, Christopher's lust-addled mind forced him to go for a few tentative flicks of the nipples. Sheepishly, he passed them off as accidents, but even while lying to himself, he knew that a solitary life stuck with his family hadn't been very healthy, especially at his age. After a few more frantic pumps, the alien hunter coughed up a few mouthfuls of water. Chris backed off in surprise and relaxed with a sigh, happy to see she was breathing on her own once more. His gaze lingered a few scant seconds longer until eventually glancing at the sky. The distant sun had made its slow crawl downwards, plunging the horizon into a mixture of purples and oranges. He must've been out for longer than he thought.   
  
Chris looked back down at the semi-nude body sprawled out asleep before him. He noticed a long, red loincloth between her legs that had been parted like a curtain to reveal her most intimate of body parts. Her vagina had a tint of dark blue to it and looked the same as a regular human female’s. Eventually, his eyes were entirely fixated on the seductive set of glossy thigh-high boots that he couldn’t help but stroke tenderly up and down. A kink that had, until now, lain dormant within him awoke upon seeing her in such tantalizing attire. Her arms were also adorned with full sleeve gloves, made from the same patent-like material as her boots. His heart raced as he felt a fire rising in his loins, a pleasurable sensation of static electricity in his testicles that every adolescent male knows all too well. He shook the siren’s call to relieve his urges out of his mind. This was neither the time nor was it the right thing to do in this situation. She might be his mortal enemy, but that didn’t make it right to abuse her. That was not the sort of person he was.   
  
"Guess I’d better get another campsite set up for us," he sighed. Saying it out loud helped to push his mind in the right direction and subsequently into action. The knife-wound in her stomach was still oozing the neon-green liquid, but not quite as much as it did before, which could only be a bad sign, he reasoned. The next port of call would be to try and heal it as quickly as possible, which would be a challenge considering his complete lack of any medical supplies out in the middle of nowhere.   
  
He scooped up the girl’s discarded items and, with a heave, he hefted her limp body up onto his back, his hands securely holding onto the back of her thighs. She was considerably heavier than he expected, but not enough to make the trek forward an arduous one. Having her breasts pressing against the back of his head would make the journey that much more enjoyable. He trudged onwards into the jungle, following the river and hoping whatever lied within his path would pay him and his cargo no mind.


	8. Chapter 8

The halls of the ship were rattled by a resounding roar that would send even the most savage of creatures fleeing in terror. Ellen Briggs was in the throes of childbirth. Joshua had set up the birthing pool months beforehand, as he figured it was the safest method of delivering the baby whilst protecting himself from the highly-corrosive acid that made up her blood. It was a gussied-up pool with all the necessary tools laid off to the side: towels, food, alcohol, and pillows. A fan was also set on her at full blast in order to help battle the agonizing heat her body was throbbing with and cool her down somewhat.   
  
The xenomorph let out another guttural roar as her internal organs felt like they were being torn to shreds. She thrashed around in the water of the pool with her legs spread wide apart. Standing at her side was her ever-doting husband, wearing arm-length, industrial-strength rubber gloves and wiping a towel down the length of her carapace. He'd never been involved with delivering a baby before, let alone one that was part-alien, so he wasn't quite sure what was going to happen.  
  
Joshua had attempted to lessen Ellen’s pain with morphine injections, though whenever the needle pierced her chitinous skin, it immediately disintegrated away into nothingness. It bothered him to no end that he couldn’t administer any. This would have to be one experience she was just going to have to endure without sedatives. If she were a Matriarch, he thought, she would probably breeze through childbirth like it was nothing. But given her genetically-altered form, the likelihood of that happening was rather slim.   
  
"If you ever make me go through this again, Joshua, I swear on my name that I will kill you!" Ellen let out another raspy hiss and thrashed about in the water.   
  
"I hope this water will be enough to dilute the acid. Can't very well have the baby melting through the floor down to China," Joshua let out a very nervous chuckle.   
  
“What?!” Ellen cried, her voice betraying the turmoil of emotions raging within her. 

“Just a joke to lighten the mood, honey.” 

"I am in no mood for your jokes!" Her hardened, chitinous hand tightly clasped onto his soft, white hand. In an instant, he was gripped with horrible pain that ran up his arm like an electric shock. While he had gotten used to being in a constant state of insufferable agony lately, he couldn’t help but let out a small grunt. If this was the beginning of fatherhood, he could only imagine that the rest of it was bound to be far worse. 

Ellen had ceased to speak in words that resembled the English language, instead, uttering what sounded akin to a demonic incantation that might be used to open up the gates of hell itself. Josh was in a mind to run away in terror if not for the fact that his hand was snared in her crushing, vice-like grip.   
  
"You're squeezing my hand a little bit too tightly, there," he groaned with a pained smile as he attempted to pry his hand away from hers. He’d once challenged Ellen to a playful arm-wrestling match before, and she‘d demolished him so effortlessly, his arm may as well have been made of rubber. That was back when she was playing for fun, now she was using her strength seriously.   
  
Given that they share a telepathic bond, Josh was feeling the exact same pain and anguish that was wrecking her body. But he powered through his own mental and physical hell for the sake of his beloved and made sure to give her constant reassurance that everything was going to be just fine. Though, in the end, Josh had to seriously yank his hand free before she could crush every bone in his hand to fine powder. Minutes felt like hours, and hours felt like an eternity. Ellen's inner maw extended out as far as it would reach as she gave one final push, until...   
  
A brand-new life entered the world.   
  
The water began to sizzle as it reacted with the acidic blood, which Joshua promptly set about washing off as quickly as possible. He picked up a knife from the side of the pool and quickly severed the umbilical cord before the blade melted away. As Josh raised the new-born infant out of the water, it began to use its lungs for the first time, greedily sucking in air. Small eyes were squeezed shut as their child opened its mouth and began to cry. It was the most beautiful sound he had ever heard in his life.   
  
"Congratulations, Ellen. You are now officially the mother of a perfectly-healthy, home-grown baby boy." Josh was actually relieved to see just how normal the baby appeared. He had seen some of Weyland-Yutani’s failed attempts at splicing human and xenomorphic DNA and the results had been considerably less than aesthetically-pleasing. But seeing his newly-born son in his hands, it seemed as though no-one would ever know there was anything different about him.   
  
Ellen let out a massive sigh of relief as she sank back down into the water. Josh waded around to stand at her side once again, showing her the tiny being that had caused her hours of unimaginable suffering. She smiled proudly. “He’s absolutely beautiful,” she said, her voice betraying just how wrung out she was. Josh leaned over and gave her a long, passionate kiss on the lips, after which, he wrapped his son up tightly in a warm towel. 

Watching him, Ellen spoke up with a concerned tone in her voice. "My love, during the time I was giving birth, I felt your fear. Fear of me. You still don't think of me as a monster, do you?"   
  
It had been a long time since Joshua had ever felt afraid of Ellen, but this episode had gravely reminded him of just how terrifying she could really be.   
  
"It’s alright, babe. I only crapped myself a little,” he joked, attempting to defuse the topic a little.   
  
“Joshua.”   
  
“Of course, I don’t think of you as a monster, Ellen. I haven’t thought of you that way in years. You’ve grown so much in the time we’ve spent together that you’re a completely different woman to the one I first met over five years ago. I love you very much."   
  
She smiled. “I am relieved to know that you feel that way. Thank you."   
  
They both gazed lovingly at their child in a moment that seemed to last forever. Joshua found it hard to believe that he had helped in creating such a beautiful little miracle. And yet here they were, together as a family.   
  
"Have you given any thought to a name yet?" the new father asked as he cradled his son in his arms.   
  
"I do not know of many names from which to choose. You can make the choice for us if you'd like, my love." Ellen leant her head against him, clearly a little sluggish with exhaustion.  
  
He was stunned by her words. The only thing he'd ever given a name to was his pulse rifle, and a name like 'Painless Death' wouldn’t exactly suit a child. "Are you sure?" he asked.   
  
Ellen nodded. "Mhmm."   
  
"Then..." Josh contemplated for a moment. "I guess I could name him after my old man."   
  
Ellen starred with curiosity. "What was his name?"   
  
● ● ●   
  
"Christopher…" Josh groaned as he slowly began to regain consciousness.   
  
From the depths of the jungle, Ellen came charging out like a psychotic, shadowy blur and skidded to a halt not far from him, her clawed toes kicking up dirt and debris as they scarred the earth. Once the dust cloud dissipated, she saw her husband lying face-down, motionless, by the edge of the cliff and promptly bounded over to check on him. She tenderly elevated his bloodied head with her hand and helped him to move into a comfortable sitting position.   
  
“Joshua, are you alright? What happened here?” she asked as she looked around for the reason for his distress signal. Josh tried to recall as much of what occurred as he could, but he was still quite disorientated, his head throbbed, and his body racked with pain.   
  
“We were attacked,” Josh groaned. “He came back… to save me."   
  
Ellen was struck by the sudden realisation that her son was nowhere to be seen, and a very real sense of dread began to settle in her mind. She slowly rose to her full height, her large, feminine frame and smooth, black breasts shone in the fiery light of the approaching sunset.   
  
"Where is Christopher?" Ellen snarled. Baring her razor-sharp teeth, she towered over the human, her body twitching with rage. "What has happened to my child?!”  
  
The same feeling of fear he'd felt long before had returned. He understood that she was feeling furious and upset, but that just made her all the more unpredictable. Any mother who was overwhelmed with the worry and fear for her child could turn into a beast, that much he knew. And Ellen was a creature that could inspire dread within the most courageous man on good days. 

He calmly explained the situation as best as he could recollect, not wanting to piss her off more than she already was. He told her the story of how they had been ambushed by an unknown entity, and how their son had heroically come back to save him from certain death, despite his explicit instructions to escape and seek her help. He saw that his explanation did little to quell her rising temper. She gazed out to the horizon, concentrating on locating her child with her bond as hard as she could.   
  
"Can you sense him?" he asked.   
  
"No. I cannot sense him at all,” said Ellen. “Either that means he's too far away from me, or he's--" She couldn’t bring herself to finish that sentence. The mere thought of Chris being gone forever was almost too much for her to bear.   
  
“I’m so sorry, Elle... I tried so hard to hold on, but I couldn’t pull him up,” he choked on his words as fresh tears rolled down his wounded face. The feeling of having failed both her and his son mingled with a crippling grief in his mind. “I couldn’t save him. I can’t protect anyone.”   
  
“Christopher is not dead,” said Ellen, plainly and confidently as any mother would. “He’s still alive out there, and he needs my help.” Ellen knew her son well enough to know that it would take more than a splash of water to defeat him. Such was her unfaltering faith in his strength.   
  
“You’re right, Ellen. Chris is a strong boy. I'm more than certain he's still alive out there somewhere,” he said, though he couldn’t tell if it was meant to reassure her or himself more. "Besides, he's read more than enough books to understand how to find his way back. If we hurry, we can--"   
  
"No. You go home, Joshua," Ellen interrupted, her voice as cold as ice. “I’ll track down Christopher by myself."   
  
He was stunned at her suddenly almost accusatory tone. "Tell me you're not blaming me for what happened. It’s not my fault we were ambushed! I did everything I possibly could to protect him, and even gave him a direct order to run away!”   
  
He shaliky slowly rose to his feet, fighting to not show any sign of discomfort as the searing pain shot through his leg. His body was bruised and battered, exhaustion still lingering within his very bones. But he wouldn’t let any of that keep him from going after his son. “And I'm more than capable of bringing our son home safely in one piece.”   
  
"I am not debating this with you when time is of the essence!" she barked at him. Deep within her anger he could feel a concern that was directed at him. "Take Ariana, go back to the ship and heal your injuries. You would only slow me down if you accompanied me. I will search for him alone, and I’ll cut down anything that stands in my way." Her voice was a growl, deep enough to resonate within his very bones.   
  
Joshua's heart plummeted. For five years, they had been an inseparable team, overcoming any obstacle together as one. Now, she was telling, no, demanding, that he remains behind. Had losing their son finally destroyed any confidence she had in him? Was he now nothing more than a hindrance to her? Or was there something else to her cold demeanor? Was her anger mixed with fear of losing her husband on top of her son? He didn’t dare to argue with her any further, lest he landed himself in even more hot water than he already was. He knew full well just how foolish it was to make a pissed off xenomorph even angrier, so he resigned himself to simply averting his gaze and letting out a defeated sigh. Besides, a shouting match wasn’t exactly the best cure for a splitting headache.   
  
Without saying another word, Ellen tore away in the direction the river flowed, leaving Joshua behind for the first time ever in their relationship. He stood facing the vast, expansive landscape that stretched out seemingly infinitely and observed the river branching off in various different directions, with each new river and waterfall being just as treacherous as its brethren. There was simply no telling which one Chris had been swept away down, and without the bond to act as a guide, all either of them could do was take a wild guess.   
  
Josh told himself it was merely the chill of the late afternoon air that had sent a shiver down his spine. And yet he knew deep down that was a lie. He just didn't want to entertain for a moment the truth in the fact that the hybrid xenomorph had actually frightened him.   
  
"Godspeed, Ellen Briggs," he said quietly to himself as his long hair and poncho billowed in the cool breeze. Shrouded in the golden light of the setting sun, he looked on as his wife's pitch-black silhouette was completely absorbed into the shadows of the wilderness. He looked up at the ominous, dark clouds that started to roll overhead, conquering the previously-clear sky. “Looks like a storm is coming.” 

“Dad!” From out of the red foliage behind him, Ariana stepped onto the scene. Tightly clutched in her small hands was Armageddon, which she’d recovered from the jungle floor as she’d followed the trail of smoke and destruction directly to his location. The length of the bow was easily twice that of her own body and it was thicker than her arm. Still, upon seeing her hold it, he had to admit that it suited her quite well. Perhaps it was finally time to teach her how to use the weapon properly.   
  
“What happened, Dad? Where are Mom and Chris?” she asked, looking around.

"They've gone away for a while," her father said. "But don’t worry, they'll be back very soon - so it looks like it's going to be just you and me for a while, kiddo." He tried to make the matter sound like a father-daughter vacation rather than a dire matter of life and death.  
  
“I don’t understand. What do you mean they’re gone?”  
  
“I’ll explain on the way home. But don’t you worry about a thing. I’ll always be here for you and I’m not going anywhere,” he promised to the best of his ability, resting his hand on her slim shoulder. “By the way, should I even ask about all that blood around your mouth?”


	9. Chapter 9

Warmth. The comforting heat of life surrounded her body like a gentle embrace. The young Yautja princess, Czh'cara, stirred from the depths of her slumber as a delicious fragrance filled her lungs and seduced her mind. The delectable scent of roasting flesh spoke to a primal urge within her. Her eyes snapped open, and in an instant her senses picked up the alien jungle, threatening to overwhelm her exhausted mind. Animalistic howls echoing from the high trees, the cheerful mating calls of insects, the rustle of the trees, and the shuffling of the foliage. All of it came at her at once, though in this moment, she couldn’t bring herself to care as her gaze fell upon a set of animal carcasses roasting on pikes placed in front of a crackling campfire. She attempted to reach for them, only to find herself held firmly in place by an unknown force.   
  
The young huntress continued to pull forward with all her strength, her mind a slave to the ravenous hunger that plagued her. After several futile attempts, her higher reasoning began to slowly seep back in. The girl grunted. Along with her rational thinking, her mind brought back the memories of what had transpired seemingly moments ago. She had been captured, that much was obvious from the current situation, but she wasn't willing to give up yet. The predator sized up her restraints. She couldn't see the binds on her wrists, but her feet and legs had been wrapped in a surprisingly-strong set of vines that tightly clung to her thigh-high boots.   
  
From the looks of her current situation, she appeared more as a helpless damsel in distress, than a fearsome intergalactic warrior. With all the might she still possessed, Czh'cara simply couldn't break the bindings. In-fact, the more she struggled, the tighter and more painful they somehow became. She growled in anger, and thrashed about wildly in desperation, but it was no use. After another moment of futile struggling, she fell limp, her body simply too weak from hunger to continue fighting. The most dishonourable way to lose to her prey and there was nothing she could do about it.   
  
"Good morning," came a cheery voice out of seemingly nowhere. “Well, it’s still night-time, but you get the idea.”   
  
Czh'cara struggled to see the source of the voice as the heat of the fire was obscuring her infrared-based vision. The strange male creature from before, her intended prey, walked onto the scene from out of the shadows, taking a seat on a log a few feet away. He plucked up one of the speared animals that sat cooking beside the fire, the source of the delicious scent that was driving her wild. But no matter how hungry she was, she couldn’t allow herself to break her composure, lest she reveal weakness to her enemy.   
  
"You must be starving. I’ve got plenty of hot and delicious food here for both of us if you want some.” The mere sight of the juicy, succulent flesh in front of her made her stomach growl and her mouth salivate. “I probably won’t be able to finish it all myself, anyway," he said with a nervous chuckle. ”Come on, I’m sure even your species has to eat sometimes, especially in your condition. You’ve got to eat if you want to build your strength back up. Besides, they took me long enough to catch, and even longer to bring myself to kill. I’m still not quite used to this whole ‘roughing it’-thing, but my father insisted on it. It’s ironic that I’m sitting here by the fire, eating food with my enemy instead of him. Some camping trip this turned out to be.”   
  
She roared with anger and attempted to lunge out again. The feeble attempt didn't faze her captor in the slightest, which only insulted her pride further. "Release me this instant, or I swear I will skin you alive!" she growled at him with narrowed eyes, as she once again pulled on her tight restraints, the rubbing of her smooth patent boots making a high-pitched squeaking sound. Suddenly, the girl let out a pained squeal, as a stabbing pain shot through her as though she’d just gotten impaled by a red-hot poker.   
  
“Please try to relax,” Chris implored with all sincerity. “You’ve already lost a lot of blood. I really did try my best to stop the bleeding and dress the wound, so it’s in your best interest if you stop struggling and eat something to expedite your recovery.”   
  
"Why have you restrained me? I demand to be--" She froze as a sudden realisation hit her. "You know my tongue? How is that possible?"   
  
"Well, I noticed all the glyphs on your equipment and recognized the language from one of the files in our ship’s library." He pointed his stick at a neat pile of familiar weaponry and armour sitting next to a tree at his side. “I’m guessing there were some people who were very interested in your race a long time ago and they documented all they could about you.” He smiled almost bashfully. “I must admit, though, it did take me slightly longer than it usually does to learn a new language. But after hearing you talk endlessly in your sleep, I just kind of naturally picked it up. As for the restraints… well, I couldn’t in good conscience allow you to go running around the jungle in your present condition, and I certainly couldn’t take the chance that you'd return and finish what you started. So, for the time being, I’m afraid you’re literally stuck like this, I’m sorry to say."   
  
"You little cjit!" she spat with a throaty growl. “How dare you! I will make you suffer for this violation!”   
  
"My name is Christopher Briggs, if you must know." Again he seemed not the tiniest bit intimidated by her obvious anger.   
She made a noise in the back of her mouth that sounded like a wet snarl. “I don’t care what your name is, ooman! And I will not sully my own name by sharing it with the likes of you.”

"Y’know, you're not being very respectful to the person who saved your life. After what you put my father and I through today, you’re lucky I didn’t leave you to drown and save myself, instead. Believe me, I was tempted." The hybrid human’s brows furrowed, as though he had hoped for their conversation to be more cordial than this.  
  
"You should have left me to drown. Being rescued by prey is the worst-possible humiliation one of my kind could suffer. If the Chieftain had seen what happened, he would surely slay me by his own hand. There’s no tolerance for weak and pathetic hunters in my world, not that you would understand.”   
  
The last part was meant as a stab towards his very pacifistic demeanor and yet he only shrugged in return. “You’re right, I don’t understand. It seems all your people ever focus on is death and hunting. Sounds like a very primitive culture to me." 

“Do not presume to know anything about my world, pyode amedha. We are more advanced than you could ever imagine. We were traversing the stars long before your people began sailing on wooden boats.” The boiling rage in her chest intensified. This little ooman was too weak to be allowed such arrogance.

"Advanced technology does not an advanced society make. Don't you ever feel empathy or compassion for sentient beings you kill for sport? For the families you destroy? Surely, you have people in your world who are opposed to violence. What about those who just want to paint, dance, sing, or just sit down and watch television?” 

The huntress hissed and tightly clenched her fists. “We have architects that have built wonders unlike anything your feeble imagination could possibly comprehend. Our painters, sculptors, and musicians have created unrivalled masterpieces that are the envy of countless worlds. Our ‘primitive culture’ is anything but that. You’ve experienced but a fraction of what my people do and think you know everything there is to know.” 

“If you’re so highly advanced, why do you hunt and murder other sentient beings? You obviously aren’t travelling millions of lightyears in search of food,” Christopher challenged her.  
  
“Hunting the deadliest game the universe has to offer has been part of the Yautja culture for millennia. It is tradition, a sacred rite of passage. It is the ultimate sport.”

The boy’s face pulled into a clear expression of disgust. “So, you murder people for fun?”  
  
“Did you have fun murdering that animal you’re consuming?” she shot back. “Did the thrill of the hunt make you feel alive inside? The ecstasy of triumph from using your own strength and guile to accomplish your goal?”

He huffed out a harsh breath. "That’s completely different and you know it. I don’t kill people. The animals I consume are not sentient as we are! As a matter of fact, I can prove to you that their brains cannot register pain as we do, at all. Because their frontal cortex is not developed enough,” Chris stated, plainly. “And the fact that you target people who can think and feel, whilst also taking pleasure in doing so makes you evil. Perhaps I was wrong to save you, after all.”

“Then why don’t you just kill me and get this charade over with?" she growled. 

“As I said, I'm not a killer.”

“Then allow me to end my own life.”

Christopher had read about ancient Earth warriors who, as a way of avoiding the shame of defeat in battle, engaged in honourable suicides. A needless self-sacrifice in any culture, he thought. “Look, you’re being totally irrational. There’s absolutely no reason for you to have to do something that drastic just to save face.” The hybrid leant forward slightly. “What would happen if you... absconded from tradition?”   
  
“The hunter would become the hunted. If I don’t die by my own hand, it’ll be by the hand of another. Either way, my life has become forfeit. Dying is now the only honourable thing I can do.”

Was she really prepared to take things that far out of an archaic sense of pride? Regardless of what her barbaric customs dictated, she was now his responsibility, and he was determined to keep her alive as long as possible. Her death, natural or self-inflicted, was not something he wanted lingering on his conscience for the rest of his life. Christopher hummed. “I’m sorry, but I won’t be complicit in your suicide, that’s just not the sort of person I am. What I do choose to be part of, for better or worse, is helping you make a complete recovery. Think of it this way: there’s no dishonour in being saved by an enemy if we’re not enemies, right?” 

The pain in her belly was starting to become unbearable, yet all she chose to do was stubbornly growl at him. Ignoring her body’s demands, she turned her face away from the mouth-watering sight. “I would rather starve to death than have pity taken on me by prey.”   
  
“What, are you planning on emaciating yourself so your wrists will be thin enough to slip out of those bindings? Sorry, but that’s not going to happen. I’ll shove this meat down your throat if that’s what it takes.”   
  
"So, you won't allow me to die and you won't allow me to leave. Do you intend to keep me as your pet, or your sex slave? Males really are all the same, no matter what planet they're from,” the huntress scoffed. She kept her tongue sharp despite the danger of the situation. If the young male’s elders returned, they would surely not share the young one’s opinion on keeping her alive.  
  
“I’m not quite sure what I plan on doing with you at this point, I haven’t exactly held anyone captive before. All I know right now is that I need to find my way back home, which should be simple enough.”   
  
“How do you figure that?” the huntress asked. “You don’t even know where you are.”   
  
He pointed a finger toward the raging water current just away from the campsite. “All these rivers flow from a common source. We follow it back and I’ll find my way home.”   
  
“Very clever, ooman, but you’re overlooking one crucial detail.”   
  
“Oh? And what crucial detail would that be?” The hybrid looked honestly surprised by her comment.  
  
She raised her head a little, as though in a prideful motion. “Me. What happens if I don’t go quietly with you on your quest? You don’t come across as the type of person who would simply leave someone behind all alone and defenceless in this quarrelsome world. Your naïve sense of compassion will be your undoing.”   
  
“Then I guess I’ll have to carry you all the way, kicking and screaming, or unconscious if necessary,” Chris answered plainly with a shrug.   
  
“I see. And what will become of me when you do eventually find your way back home again?”   
  
“Father might have lenience with you but no doubt my mother will be absolutely livid. She’s probably out there right now searching for me. Just be grateful you didn’t go up against her today. She would have pulled your spine out through your mouth and shoved it where the sun doesn’t shine. All your fancy weapons and gadgets would have counted for nothing."   
  
"Oh, really? She sounds like she would make a challenging opponent. Far more so than that other male who barely even put up a fight."   
  
"Father is a brave and honourable man,” Chris replied defensively, the topic clearly stirring a strong emotion within him. He would not allow someone like her to speak so disrespectfully about his patriarch. “Never forget that it was he who gave you that near-fatal wound in your belly. You think turning yourself invisible and firing an energy blaster from a safe distance makes for a fair fight? If it were an even match, he would have beaten you."   
  
“Untie me and we’ll put that to the test,” she growled.   
  
Christopher chuckled with amusement and shook his head. “Nice try, but I’m not so easily manipulated.”   
  
A blinding purple flash lit up the cloudy night sky, closely followed by the rolling crash of thunder. It had not yet started to rain, but the sudden drop in temperature foretold its impending arrival. Chris stared up at the heavens in annoyance. “Great.”   
  
“What’s the matter, prey? Are you afraid of getting wet?” Czh'cara mocked.   
  
“Not at all. I’ve already erected my shelter, so I’ll be dry as a bone.” He waved his stick in the air to reveal a tightly and intricately woven canopy of leaves and branches above him. “I didn’t have time to make one for you, though. Sorry about that.”   
  
“You intend to leave me out here in the Godsforsaken rain all night?” she yelled in disbelief.   
  
“What’s the matter? Are you afraid of getting wet?”  
  
“Ell-osde' pauk!” she screamed. “Kod jutasz belso!”  
  
Chris pulled on a vine rope and down came another roof made from jungle material that neatly connected to three sturdy walls which she hadn’t noticed to be there before. “Gotcha.”   
  
“You made this... for me?” she looked around in disbelief at the shelter that surrounded her, a weird feeling she couldn’t quite identify gnawing at her mind.   
  
“Of course. I’m not a heartless monster. And you were asleep for a very long time so there was plenty of opportunity to make them.”   
  
The girl was at a complete loss for words. She never expected her captor to be so kind and compassionate. Maybe she had misjudged him after all. “Czh'cara jshaska Ķhal’khalkar,” she whispered, still unsure about what she was doing. But she figured it was the least she could offer as her way of showing gratitude.   
  
“I beg your pardon?” the boy asked. “I’m afraid I don’t know those words.”   
  
“My name. It’s Czh'cara.”   
  
His face split into a bright smile. “That’s a very beautiful name. Long, but beautiful.”   
  
No-one had ever used that word to describe anything about her before. Poetic words like “beauty” and “love” were seldom spoken by the males in her world. They were too damaging to their fearsome reputation, or so they say. Czh'cara’s cyan face turned a pale shade of green.   
  
It took Christopher a second before he realised what that meant: she was blushing.   
  
The skin of Christopher’s face also turned a bright crimson in response. Hopefully, she didn’t understand what that particular physiological reaction signified in his species.

“So tell me,” he tried shifting the topic. “If you weren’t born and raised to be a hunter, to kill other sentient beings, would you still think of me as a lesser person than yourself?”   
  
Czh'cara took a moment to ponder his question. The boy was indeed a strong and formidable opponent and possessed some modicum of intelligence. But to be her equal? It was a question she hadn’t asked herself before, which made her reply slow and hesitant. “Perhaps not.”

The growling inside Czh'cara’s stomach returned with a vengeance.   
  
“Got some more meat here if you still want some,” Chris offered, obviously picking up on the not-so-subtle noise. “You shouldn’t go to sleep on an empty stomach. Still, all that growling would certainly act as a great deterrent to the dangerous predators out there, so at least we’d be safe all night,” he joked.   
  
“I will accept your offer of sustenance, but I demand the dignity to feed myself.”   
  
“Once again, I am truly sorry, but I can’t untie you, not even just one arm. If you wounded me or broke free and ran away, it would only create more problems for me down the line. So, for now, I’m afraid I simply cannot take that risk. I’m sure you’d do the same if you were in my position.” 

"Have you ever mated with a female before, boy?” Chris was taken aback by her sudden intimate question that seemed so out of place in their previously hostile conversation. “Have you ever been around a female at all?" 

"Y-Yes... but not one that isn't a direct relative. The population on this planet is pretty thin." 

"That explains a lot. This is no way to treat a female. A gentleman would show his captive, especially a female, some modicum of chivalry.” She parted her legs as wide as her restraints would allow. “Release me and we could come to some kind of... mutually-beneficial arrangement." 

He swallowed thickly. What kind of new strategy was this supposed to be? "You're talking about... copulation?" 

The girl didn’t respond. She simply rolled her eyes at his awkwardness. Christopher’s primal urge to mate with her was almost overpowering his sense of reason. Naturally, this was just a ruse in order for him to lower his guard so she could attack him and escape, but just the thought of mating with her right then and there was becoming all too irresistible for his adolescent male brain. The boy walked over to her, and after taking a few moments to soak in her arousing state, he crouched down and plunged the skewer into the ground beside her so that the cooked rodent was well within biting distance of her face.   
  
“Bon appétit,” he said, dejectedly, as he turned around and made his way inside his own shelter.   
  
“I’m offering myself willingly to you and you refuse me?” she cried out, feeling offended by his refusal. Was she not attractive enough if he could just resist her like that? Any other male would jump at the chance to accept her offer of sex.

“Perhaps one day when you aren’t doing it for the wrong reasons. I’d prefer my first time to be genuine and meaningful, not an exercise in deception. Some of us still have a heart left to break.” He lowered the front wall behind him to securely seal himself inside, hidden away from both the storm and the piercing eyes of his captive. 

The huntress cried out in frustration: “You cannot leave me like this! PREY!” 

No response. 

She tried one last desperate attempt to break free of her bonds but that only resulted in making them excruciatingly tight. The pitter-patter of raindrops started to land on her rooftop, and yet she was still exposed to the elements from the front. Once again, her own arrogance and stupidity had come back to bite her. The girl looked over at the still-hot and tender morsel sitting beside her, begging to be eaten. Her stubborn pride was quickly overpowered by her base instincts as she greedily began ravaging away at it, swallowing as much nourishment as possible. 

The pain in her belly began to subside at long last. She closed her eyes and tried not to weep, but she couldn’t contain her feelings of anger and humiliation as bitter tears began to flow down her cheeks. She had failed miserably at being a hunter, disappointed her father, tarnished her family name, and wanted nothing more than to die. 

● ● ●   
  
The Tyrannotaur, one of the most indomitable titans on the face of the planet, chomped its extremely powerful jaws and created a deafening boom akin to the sound of a hundred cannons being fired at once. However, his ferocious bite wasn’t quite fast enough to annihilate the small, black creature that had dared to wander into his territory. This strange, unfamiliar thing was very quick and annoyingly agile, using the tall trees as cover and a means to stay out of his reach. Every time the giant went in for an attack, it would elegantly bound to the next tree as if to taunt him or get him to waste his stamina. He let out a terrifying, thunderous roar that resounded throughout the entire jungle landscape. There wasn’t a beast alive that didn’t know, or fear, that sound.   
  
Up until now, he had been relying on his superior sense of smell to track the creature’s movements in the dark, but the rain was beginning to fall much more intensely than before, masking its scent almost completely. If smell was of no more use to him, then the sound it made would be the next best option. He figured that taking the trees out of the equation would force his foe to either flee like a coward or fight on ground level. And that would certainly result in a win-win situation for him.   
  
He bore his mighty tail around like a gigantic spiked mace and effortlessly brought the tree toppling over, giving his enemy less of an advantage on the battlefield, or so he believed. Once again, the frustrating little bastard managed to evade him at the last possible moment. He saw it looking down on him from up on high, not even barring any fangs or showing signs of a defensive posture. it was as if it were toying with him, treating their battle to the death like a game! The Tyrannotaur bared its full maw of sword-like teeth, tail raised and claws digging deep into the ground beneath him. His whole posture was a threat that any sensible opponent would’ve cowered before. Such insolence would not go unpunished.   
  
● ● ●   
  
“So loud... So irritating…” Ellen thought to herself as she peered down at the monster that was wreaking such havoc below. She had intended on avoiding any unnecessary conflict throughout her journey in order to reach her son as soon as her inhuman speed allowed her to. But it was a persistent and stubborn animal, and she was beginning to feel quite hungry, anyway. “This animal will sate my appetite,” she mused, not the slightest bit intimidated by the Tyrannotaur’s posturing. She had taken down prey ten times as dangerous without breaking a sweat.   
  
Hunting game like this reminded her of old times with her husband, Joshua. Her heart wracked with guilt for the way she treated him so cruelly before. She knew he wasn’t to blame for what happened to Christopher, and she knew he would have walked straight into hell itself to find him and bring him home if he could. But in his present condition, that was something she simply couldn’t have allowed him to do. She couldn’t bear the thought of losing him, too. Sometimes, you just had to be cruel to be kind. She tried to communicate with Josh using the bond, hoping her words would find their way to him, despite him being so far away.

“Hear me, my love, my one, true soul mate. I only did what I believed to be the right thing. Please forgive me. I miss you so very much.” Whether he’d receive the message from this great distance, she could but pray.   
  
The monster below charged into the tree she was grasping and, like a big, stupid bulldozer, brought it crashing down. There was nowhere left for her to leap to now, save for one vital spot. She pounced from the collapsing tree with the flawless agility of a cat and landed right on the brute’s sizable head. “It’s body may be intimidating, but it's brain is small. Take that out and the rest will collapse like a house of cards.”   
  
The Tyrannotaur spat and roared again with absolute fury. He violently thrashed about trying to shake the creature off him, but it was no use. Ellen remained steadfast . sticking to his head like glue. His diminutive arms prevented him from clawing at her directly, and his efforts to bite her were futile. Due to the pouring rain and his own bodyweight, he began to sink deeper into the mud, forcing him to remain in one spot, a massive disadvantage for him. “I don’t understand. This wasn’t supposed to happen to me!” was one of the last three things that would ever enter his mind. The penultimate thing was...   
  
“Silence!”   
  
The final thing was the alien’s deadly spear slamming down right through his cranium, completely cleaving his brain in half with one smooth strike. To her, it wasn’t even a challenge, but rather an annoying inconvenience. Crimson blood gushed forth from his nostrils like an open floodgate, and his eyes rolled over into the back of their sockets. His mighty legs buckled and his enormous frame collapsed to the ground in a crumpled, undignified heap. Death was instantaneous. The once proud king was now lying dead in the dirt, no greater than the lowest forms of life. The victor rose to her feet and stared up at the starless night sky as lightning flashed overhead and cold rain fell down to wash the blood-soaked land clean. 

“My son,” Ellen declared resolutely, her mind as clear and determined as the falling raindrops. “I promise I will find you.”


	10. Chapter 10

The heavens were becoming a raging battleground for whichever gods went un-worshipped on this remote alien world. Blinding flashes of purple and blue illuminated the world, transforming the dark of night into blinding daylight, followed closely by the deafening roar of thunder that seemed to shake the very foundations of the land. What had started off as a gentle rainfall had grown rapidly into a violent tempest. Gale-force winds howled in torment, and razor-sharp raindrops thrashed down upon the jungle floor, including two tiny and fragile huts that swayed and buckled on the brink of collapse under the force of the storm. 

The walls of Christopher's primitive shelter shook and rattled violently, its simple bindings straining to withstand the harsh winds. He got up from the ground and peeked through the ever-widening cracks in the wall. Czh'cara, soaking wet, continued to struggle against her restraints between angered growls that were nearly drowned out by the howling of the storm. The wind was doing its best to pick up her wooden hut into the air only to slam it back down onto the ground. Chris shook his head and “swore” under his breath. Neither he nor his captive would be able to stay here for very much longer, not if the storm kept up its violent assault.   
  
The boy steadied his nerves, took a deep breath, and then wrestled open the door of his shelter. The wind promptly snapped it off its hinges and stole it away into the darkness. He gripped the edge of the walls and pulled himself forward to brave the storm to get to the alien girl laying mere feet away. Another flash and a bolt of lightning struck a nearby tree, erupting it into a blaze of fire and smoke. A fiery, orange glow radiated through the air, casting the surroundings into a nightmare-ish gleam.   
  
"You have to release me,” she yelled out to him, “or my death will be on your hands!" Czh'cara’s voice grew in urgency as the flimsy leaf bandages that covered her chest and stomach began to unravel. She was right, of course. Keeping her bound there like that would most certainly be a death sentence in their current situation. The dark clouds continued their bombardment of lightning strikes, creating more wildfires all around them that left him with no time to think of any other options.   
  
"Confound it!”   
  
The boy fell to his knees, throwing himself protectively over Czh'cara’s helpless form, his pale face inches away from hers, as he began to peel away the vines around her wrists. He tried not to notice her large, soaking-wet breasts, or the fact that her loincloth did little to hide her modesty. His hormone-addled brain went into overdrive, and he felt a growing sensation between his legs that reached out and pressed against her wet, female form. He tried his best to block out the thoughts and prayed to God she’d be too distracted to notice his throbbing and ever-growing erection.   
  
But notice it she did. She couldn’t help but feel his member bulging against her and knew exactly what was on his mind. It wouldn’t be the first time she used a male’s insatiable lust to mate with her to her own advantage.   
  
"Come on, we gotta get out of here!" his voice was barely audible over the turbulent gale and crashing thunder. "We have to seek shelter immediately!" The rain mercilessly scourged his back like a dozen cat o’ nine tails at once, but his sacrifice at least helped to somewhat protect Czh'cara’s defenceless face and body.   
  
The girl continued to stress against her restraints, feeling them loosen more and more until, finally, her arms were set free and fell limply to her sides like a couple of heavy weights. As Chris set to work on untying her toned legs that were, thankfully, protected by an arousing pair of glossy thigh high boots, she let out an angered roar. Her fist flew forward and sucker punched him on the side of the head, sending him falling back like a puppet with its strings cut. She sprung up with a renewed energy that surprised the hybrid youth, and brought her entire body weight, including her large, exposed breasts, down on top of him. Without a split second of hesitation, she gripped his throat tightly in her hands, almost crushing his windpipe. It was only when her murderous gaze became entranced by his soulful and terrified eyes that her urge to kill somewhat dissipated.   
  
“You saved my life,” she snarled right in his face. “For that, I’ll spare yours. A life for a life. You may consider my debt repaid. The next time we meet, I will show you no mercy.” With that, she dashed off into the foliage, leaving the boy on the ground, choking and gasping for air. “Wait!” was the only word his tortured body could form amid all his agonized coughing.   
  
Czh'cara tripped and stumbled as she fought against the wind and biting rain, desperately searching for respite from the merciless storm. Another flash and a fork of lightning sent a tree bursting into flames which she only barely managed to avoid. She tried not to cry out in anger, unable to shake off the memory of her previous actions toward Chris. Not only being caught by the enemy, her prey, but also being shown compassion. To further tarnish her status as a hunter, she, herself, had shown similar compassion toward him. And that was nothing if not a pathetic display for one of her kind. Any decent hunter would’ve gut the boy right there and then and bring his head back as a trophy. She let out another angered growl and continued to plough through the jungle, smashing any bit of foliage that crossed her path.   
  
Cleaving and hacking her way through the dense jungle, Czh'cara finally found something that promised her relief from the constant assault on her body: a cave. The entrance went almost unnoticed beneath a winding tree that towered above the rest of the forest like a sentinel. She furiously hacked and tore away at the thick roots that almost completely obscured the hole and made her way inside, her heels clacked against the stone floor which reverberated around her, proving the cave was far deeper than it had appeared at first from the outside. Once she had made it a considerable way into the cave, the predator collapsed exhaustedly onto the dry ground with her back against the wall and sighed, thankful that her body was no longer being ravaged by the storm. She smacked her fist against the cool rock in exasperation, annoyed with everything that had transpired.   
  
The exhausted girl laid back on the ground, not one bit bothered that her breasts were completely on display. It wasn’t like there was anyone around to ogle at them, anyway. The lids shielding her sapphire eyes started to weigh heavy, she had neither the strength nor the inclination to fight against the fatigue. As she let her consciousness melt away, a different kind of predator had awoken to Czh'cara’s arrival.  
  
● ● ●   
  
From within a crevice in the stone wall, a centipede-like organism slowly unfurled a multitude of whisker-like legs to reveal a face straight from the devil’s nightmares. It was covered with numerous blood-red orbs that served as its eyes, and possessed serrated mandibles that resembled a hybrid of an arachnid and a Bobbit worm. Row upon row of small, diamond-like teeth that could chew through bone like butter chattered excitedly beneath two whip-like antennae who’s tips secreted a natural glue-like substance that instantly adhered to anything unfortunate enough to touch it. Death silently moved in closer to Czh'cara’s sleeping form, placing it’s legs ever-so delicately on her pale, white stomach that it avoided waking the unknowing sleeper.   
  
It’s long, thin appendages delicately touched and stroked her defenceless, half-naked form in order to examine what kind of animal she was. It was unfamiliar to the creature, something the cave-dweller had never encountered before. There was no hardened shell, no coarse fur, prickly spines, or any other type of natural defence to temporarily hinder its feeding. Perfect. The tips of its antennae leaked their terrible adhesive and latched themselves onto one of her breasts, ensuring they couldn’t be detached without tearing out a good chunk of flesh along with them. This kill would be so easy, it almost didn’t bother using this weapon at all, but it wasn’t going to risk the very slim chance that it might get away.   
  
The slight irritation of the adhesive on her bare skin caused Czh'cara to rouse from her slumber. Her weary eyes fluttered open, but it was already far too late. With a shrieking hiss, the creature lunged forward like a pulled spring being released and drove it’s hard mandibles deep into soft tissue, administering into the bloodstream a fast-acting paralyzing agent. An animal of this size would take at least a few days to fully consume, so it would need to keep her alive and fresh for as long as possible. Its larvae would also have their fill as they gorged themselves on her organs from the inside-out.  
  
Czh'cara cried out in panic, but not in pain, for it wasn’t her that felt the burning sting of alien mandibles. Dripping wet and hovering mere inches above her was a face all-too familiar to her. “Gotcha.”   
  
“C-Christopher?” she stuttered in shock, completely forgetting her chosen nickname for him. “What are you--”   
  
Czh'cara lowered her gaze and saw the antennae fused to her breast. Horrified, her eyes quickly trailed along the antennae to where the grotesque head of her would-be assassin was tightly lodged within Christopher’s vice-like grip. It desperately thrashed it’s centipedal body around, slashing at his arm with its sharp exoskeleton and feverishly gnawed at the palm of his hand, which caused blood to seep out and paint her breasts in dark crimson.   
  
Thanks to the wound she’d sustained before, Chris had managed to track the luminescent green trail that Czh'cara had inadvertently left behind. He’d found the blood itself to be extremely fascinating. Under more favourable circumstances, he would have jumped at the opportunity to study it in closer detail. Luckily for him, the storm was unable to wash it off the leaves, giving him a convenient glow-in-the-dark trail of breadcrumbs that led straight to her exact location. And it was most certainly her good fortune that he arrived in the nick of time, right before she became bug chow.   
  
“You were right about me, Czh'cara,” his eyes intently focused on hers. “I’m not one to leave you all alone out here.”   
  
Despite his body being flooded with anaesthesia, he refused to give up his stronghold on the creature. He tore the antennae off its head and with a slight grunt, and with all the strength his body still possessed, he crushed its skull with a loud crunch. White gore spurted and bloomed from the ruinous carnage as its body promptly fell limp like that of a boned fish. The only movement the accursed demon made was the twitching of its spindly legs as its synapses carried along their last charges. Though Chris had triumphed in saving Czh'cara, the paralytic venom coursing through his veins and muscles was steadily taking its toll on him. The boy let out a final exhale before he collapsed atop the girl’s half-naked form like a ragdoll, his battered and bruised face smeared with the blood that soaked her breasts.   
  
After a brief moment of silence, Czh'cara hesitantly broke the eerie silence of the cave.   
  
“Christopher?” There was no response..   
  
She desperately threw the boy off of her like a soiled blanket, crawled herself out from the cave, and sprinted into the jungle as fast as she could. Why this foolish boy would willingly sacrifice himself for her, his enemy, she simply couldn’t comprehend. What could he possibly have thought he stood to gain from such a foolish act? Surely, he still wasn't intent on keeping her captive. Had he really come back because he cared for her wellbeing? But why would he care for someone who had attempted to kill him in cold blood and nearly took his father’s life?  
  
The wind caused an enormous tree to come crashing down right in Czh'cara’s path. She tried to come to a stop but the sludge beneath her boots provided no traction, causing her to fall over and splat into the mud. She only just managed to avoid being crushed by a hair’s breadth. The force of the impact sent wet mud flying in all directions like shrapnel, covering her from the tips of her long dreadlocks to the heels of her thigh high boots in filth. She no longer gave a damn about the storm, the spreading wildfires, or even the humiliating state she was in. Her own thoughts and feelings had become just as frenzied and chaotic as the tempest that raged all around her. As she lay in the proverbial gutter, as low and pathetic as could possibly be, she turned her head back in the direction of the cave she had just emerged from - back toward the person who had so selflessly risked his own life to save hers on numerous occasions.   
  
Heroism. Courage. Selflessness. Compassion. Honour. These words repeated themselves in her mind over and over. Truly, in her most vulnerable moment, he had indeed been her hero, and if it hadn’t been for his sacrifice, she would no doubt be dead now, or worse. The thought of being kept in a chemically-induced stasis while some monster fed on her made her shiver violently. No, without him, she would have died long before then. Was rotting alone in a damp cave a fitting end for him after everything he had done for her? No! She may have failed as a hunter, but she was naught without her sense of honour.   
  
● ● ●   
  
Christopher’s body laid motionless on the damp ground like a broken corpse. And yet he was still very much alive. He couldn’t move a single muscle, not even his little finger would obey his command. The venom had completely immobilised him and it was showing no signs of wearing off any time soon. All he could do was stare up with half-opened eyes at the ceiling of the cave, the whole place glowing neon green from Czh'cara’s blood that had pooled on the floor around him.   
  
Despite everything, it was better to be in this cave than outside where he was liable to drown, get struck by lightning, roasted alive, or torn apart by scavengers. He only hoped that the creature he’d killed had been a territorial one and didn’t have any friends or a mate that might seek revenge for their fallen comrade.  
  
“Mother…” He tried to send out a signal to her on the off-chance she was close enough to pick up on it. Now that he was all alone and afraid, he no longer saw any reason to maintain a cool façade. Thinking of his beloved mother again filled his young eyes with hot tears. Oh, he’d give anything to see her again and be held tightly in her loving embrace, safely shielded from the world and all its horrors.   
  
“Mother, please help me,” he sobbed internally, as bitter tears rolled down his cold and clammy cheeks. “I really need you here. I want to go home.”   
  
The sounds of something shuffling and scratching against rocks echoed throughout the cave, snapping him out of his state of depression. He couldn’t move his eyes to locate the source, but he could only assume it was another animal that had stumbled upon the cave in its efforts to escape the storm. It seemed death had come for him sooner than expected. At least the numbness would spare him the agony of being eaten alive like this. If only he could close his eyes and drift off peacefully into oblivion.   
  
Suddenly, the world turned upside down and Chris found himself staring straight into the same beautiful sapphire eyes that once gazed back into his.   
  
“It seems the threads of our lives have not quite separated just yet,” Czh'cara said as she gently held the back of his head in one hand and placed the other against his chest, feeling the steady rhythm of his still-beating heart. “A life for a life.”


	11. Chapter 11

“Ellen,” Joshua murmured to himself as he gazed out of the window, unable to see anything through the dark and beating rain. His stare followed the drops hitting the transparent metal, wishing they could wash away the guilt festering in his heart. “I never should have let you go alone.” 

“Dad?” came a soft voice from behind him. “When are Mom and Chris coming home?” 

In truth, the man didn’t even know if either of them were still alive anymore, but he wasn’t about to make his daughter cry by telling her what was really on his mind. “They’ll be home very soon, sweetheart.” 

“We should be out there looking for them, too,” she said firmly, a frown adorning her youthful features. “Mom could be in serious trouble and in need of our help.” 

“This storm is far too dangerous for either of us to venture out into right now. Your mother is strong and can handle herself better than both of us could put together. The very last thing your mother would want is for us to put ourselves in harm's way for her sake. The best we can do for now is wait it out and go looking for them once it passes.” 

“What if this storm doesn’t pass? It’s been going on for hours already. What if it keeps going for days or years and we never see Mom or Chris ever again?”

Joshua tore his gaze away from his daughter’s reflection in the window to look at her directly. “It’s not going to last for years, Ariana.” 

“You don’t know that!” The girl started to grow angry; hot tears of fear and frustration spilling down her porcelain cheeks. “We have to find Mom, NOW! And if you won’t lift a finger to help her, I will!” 

“Hey-hey-hey…” Joshua hurried over to his distraught daughter. He kneeled next to her and pulled her into a long, reassuring hug. She squeezed him back tightly and buried her face in his shirt, crying harder than she’d ever cried before. 

“Come on, baby girl. Look at me,” he said as he placed a finger under her small chin and gently pushed his daughter’s face up so they met eyes-to-eye. “I promise you, we will see them again, no matter what,” he assured her as he ran his calloused fingers through her straight, jet-black hair. “I know you're worried about her, and that's okay. But this is Mom we're talking about, remember? There's nothing she can't handle, right? It's going to take more than a spot of bad weather to get the best of her. I bet she's found him already and they're both on their way home right now. So, chin up and dry those eyes, kiddo. By this time tomorrow, we'll all be laughing about it 'round the dinner table.” … “I hope.” 

He knew deep down it was an empty promise, a reassuring tale that he made up on the spot because he couldn’t tell her the truth about the pure uncertainty and worry in his heart. But he couldn’t give up hope, lest Ariana finally snap and attempt to take matters into her own hands. “I will never abandon Chris or your mother. I’m a marine, and we never leave family behind.” 

Suddenly, cherished memories of his old friend, Sammy, came flooding back into his mind and he almost choked on his own words. The phrase “never leave family behind” felt bitter on his tongue and brought with it an acidic feeling of being a liar and a hypocrite. He’d already abandoned one person he held dear to his heart, how could he honestly say he wouldn't do it again? No! That’s not who he was, and he would find a way to make things right. 

● ● ● 

Hidden deep within the solitary cave, the deafening crash of thunder was mercifully replaced by the gentle crackling of burning firewood. It was there that an unlikely couple was suspended in an uneasy and fragile truce. Christopher Briggs, still completely immobilized by the insect’s paralytic venom, laid next to the fire but felt none of it’s precious, life-giving warmth. The cold had taken root within his bones it seemed and yet he couldn’t even shiver in response. Czh'cara jshaska Ķhal’khalkar, seventh daughter of her clan’s High Chieftain, had ventured out into the forest once more in order to retrieve her fallen Medicomp in order to nurse her enemy back to health.  
  
She placed the device down on an elevated surface and pressed a large hexagonal button, causing it to mechanically bloom and reveal an impressive array of alien surgical instruments and other medical paraphernalia. She then took out a small, wedge-shaped apparatus which transformed into a concave disk with some type of Bunsen burner in the center. Chris was unable to tear his eyes away from what he was seeing, literally and figuratively. He found the whole affair extremely bizarre and fascinating in equal measures.  
  
The huntress then picked up a rock and, with the bare minimum of effort, crushed it into rubble and fine powder. It rained from her hands onto the circular disk and collected in the middle as a small mount. Snapping the cap off a small vial, she began pouring a luminescent blue liquid over the debris. Suddenly, the mess of broken rocks and alien liquid violently ignited, causing the entire cave to become illuminated by the eruption of azure fire.  
  
_“What the heck is going on?”_ Chris thought to himself as the girl practiced her alien alchemy. _“Is she planning to heal me or cook me?”_   
  
The flames finally subsided, and in its wake, only a sizzling sludge-like paste remained. Gently lifting her saviour’s destroyed, blood-soaked hand, she noticed his gaze was transfixed on her, as if telepathically pleading for her to explain what she was about to do to him. A brief explanation wouldn’t hurt, Czh'cara thought, if it would help to put his mind at ease.  
  
"This will cauterize your wounds,” she explained. “Normally, the pain is so excruciating, it drives even the most hardened warriors into a violent rage. Lucky for you, you won't feel a thing."  
  
Czh'cara took a spoon-like utensil and scooped up the scorching-hot matter, smearing it all over Christopher’s hand and forearm. The sound and smell of burning flesh filled the cave, yet mercifully, as she predicted, Chris didn’t feel anything. He mentally breathed a sigh of relief, in a way he was thankful that the insect had been blessed with such a potent anaesthetic. Funny, how things fell into place sometimes.   
  
"Thhh... khhh... yhhh..." he choked, trying to form words of gratitude, but his tongue and throat remained numb and uncooperative. All he could do was pathetically exhale air out of his lungs to create noises that a toddler would be ashamed of.  
  
"I see your ability to speak is already starting to return,” muttered the disgruntled huntress. “A shame. I was beginning to enjoy the silence," she sighed before returning to her Medicomp. “Perhaps I have something that will expedite your recovery.”  
  
Czh'cara then held up a cylindrical device. She tapped a button on its side and a long, jagged needle sprang up from within it. _“A syringe of some kind, perhaps?”_ the boy pondered in silence. The needle then ejected a clear liquid as one would to get rid of any air bubbles, which confirmed in his mind that it was a type of syringe, after all.  
  
“I can’t guarantee the serum will be effective, given your genetic make-up. It might even kill you instantaneously, but it’s still the best chance you’ve got, unless, of course, you’d rather wait for the venom to wear off by itself, which might be never. It’s your choice.”  
  
Christopher tried to nod, or even blink in return, to no avail. “Yhhh...”   
  
“‘Yes’? To the serum or to the waiting? Oh, to hell with it,” she growled. “I don’t have forever to sit around caring for an invalid. I’ll give you the medicine, but the rest will be down to your own fortitude. If you don’t recover by the time the storm passes, I won’t hesitate to leave you right here.”  
  
_“Is she serious?”_ he wondered. Then he remembered that they were still on different sides of this conflict, despite their momentary truce. This really seemed to be his only option. _“Of course, she’s serious. Why wouldn’t she be? I don’t imagine this girl was even born with a sense of humour. If I just had some mobility, or even the power to utter a few basic instructions to her, I could probably reverse engineer an anecdote from the venom itself. Damn it, there’s no time, and no other option. Very well then, I accept your challenge. I refuse to rot away in this filthy cave for the rest of my life. I refuse to give up. I will not rest until I see my family again. Give me the medicine!”_

Czh'cara pulled his shirt up across his torso to locate a suitable area in which to administer the serum and was met with a physiology she had never seen before, or rather, she’d never before seen on a human. He had no pectoral muscles, only well-defined, almost exoskeletal, ribs that sat atop strong abdominals of unusual configuration. If she didn’t know better, she’d swear his body was more like a merging of _pyode amedha_ and _kiande amedha_ DNA, human and xenomorph. The very idea of such a union defied all reason. The mystery of this boy grew more curious by the minute. 

She lowered her head to examine his body more closely as Chris could only stare blankly back at her like a mannequin. She began gently running the palm of her hand over his protruding ribs and down his stomach, feeling all of the ridges and subtle intricacies of his form. If Chris wasn’t completely paralyzed, such intimate contact would certainly have caused a very strong and unmistakable reaction in his nether region. Such were the small mercies in life, he supposed. 

“What the hell are you?” she whispered, amazed by his appearance that defied any and all expectations. 

Chris tried to exhale as hard as his condition would allow in order to try and give her some kind of response, only to have one of her fingers press firmly on his lips to shush him. “Save your strength, boy. I was merely talking to myself.” With that said, she took a wild stab, literally, at an area she reasonably assumed would have the best effect: the side of his stomach (assuming that’s where his stomach was even located. The Gods only knew what was going on with this creature. 

“By the way,” she continued. “You needn’t have bothered coming back to save me and put yourself in this pitiful state. It would have taken more than a mere zabin to slay me. Your sacrifice was foolish...” She paused to stop herself from besmirching his selfless deed and averted her gaze as the thought of why he did it made the blood rush to her face. “But appreciated.” 

Whether she was being truthful or simply lying to save face, he couldn’t be sure. All he knew was that if he had to do it again, he would do so without a moment’s hesitation. “Yorh… whel… khhh...” Christopher’s voice wheezed out of his mouth, but his words definitely sounded more intelligible than before. It seemed that Czh'cara’s serum was already proving to have a positive effect. 

“But don’t get the wrong impression. This doesn’t make us friends. I do this only to repay you for saving my life. Once you get yourself back on your feet, we’ll never see each other again.” 

“W- wadder…” Chris’s voice sorely rasped. 

Czh'cara clicked her mandibles in irritation. The thought of killing him was beginning to creep back in her mind. If she were a Yautja of lesser standing, she would have torn his spine out by now. 

Noticing her apparent displeasure at the request, he tried to add: “Puh-lee…” 

“Very well!” she barked. “If it’ll make your recovery arrive that much sooner.” She was almost tempted to stick him face-down into a puddle somewhere if he wanted water that badly. “Don’t start a habit of asking for favours, boy, or the only feeling that will return to your body anytime soon is going to be pain.” 

The huntress got up and stepped into the shadows of the cave, leaving her ward all alone. Chris finally managed to close his dried-out eyes and took the first long, deep breath in hours. It was almost heavenly. The thought of having Czh'cara and her bedside manner for company made him feel slightly uneasy, but he couldn’t lose sight of the real reason he had to get better at all costs. 

_“Good night, dear Mother.”_ He silently prayed his words would reach her. _“I will be with you soon, I promise.” ___

____

____

● ● ● 

Joshua sat down at the computer terminal and allowed his weary bones to relax. The screen in front of him flooded with a seemingly randomized jumble of letters and numbers as it flickered to life. His fingers hovered over the chunky beige keys for a moment as he steeled himself to the task he knew in good conscience he had to do. After a moment, he finally brought himself to begin typing, the sharp clacking of keys echoed throughout the bridge. 

**S --  
I hope this message finds you safe and well.**

**It’s been a while, hasn’t it? A lot has happened since we last spoke. I only wish I’d reached out to you long before now, but I knew if the Company ever became aware of our correspondence, you would certainly be tortured to death in their effort to extract my location from you. I almost convinced myself not to write to you at all, but I guess I just really need a friend right now. If I had time to plan things better, I would have found a way to bring you with me. But then, planning things was never my strong suit. I’m sure you remember that all too well.**

**Where do I even begin? At the beginning, I guess.**

**No doubt there have been certain rumours circulating about my abrupt departure from the Company. The “official story” is probably that I perished in the explosion on Gamma-Sigma. Well, you’ll be relieved to know that reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated. The truth of the matter is, I decided to give the Company the middle finger and elope with the woman of my dreams in a blaze of glory. I know you always had reservations about my relationship with a xenomorph. You probably thought I’d completely gone off the deep end - and hell, you’re probably right. A human and a xeno. Shit’s crazy, I know. What can I tell ya? Life has a funny way of working out. You can’t help who you fall in love with, right? I just want you to know that Ellen is the most devoted, passionate, and amazing person I’ve ever met. She’s made my life complete in every way possible, and there’s nothing she wouldn’t do for me – nor I her.**

**And what do you know, we ended up having kids too. The whole package, you know. And you never thought I’d be a family man in the end, hah. Got you beat there. Shit, I should be telling you that I’m happy here. Got my daughter and my son, a wife who takes care of me, and can take down a whole fucking station full of soldiers blindfolded and could kick my ass all the way back to Earth. But here’s where it all goes wrong, you see. I go out camping with my kid, old fashioned survival training, bonding and all that. And instead of teaching him how to survive on his own I allow some asshole assassin to drag him down a cliff.**

**You know what happens then? My wife shows up and fuck, if you saw her like that you’d shit your pants. And what the fuck do I do? I let her go on her own. I just let her fucking go...**

● ● ● 

“Christopher,” Ellen sobbed. “Where are you?” 

Miles away from her family, being scourged by wind, rain and noise, the xenomorph sheltered herself in a tree with one hand covering her face, and the other clutching her pearl necklace in the desperate hope that it would bring her luck. Lost, alone, and completely exhausted, there was nothing more she could do for now except huddle herself tightly against the tree and weather the storm until it passed. 

She longed to feel her husband’s warmth at her side, feel his fragile and squishy form against her own. He’d always been so ready to risk everything for her and their children. Had never hesitated to put his own life on the line and in the end surprised her with a resilience and strength that didn’t seem to suit his appearance. 

“Oh, Joshua, my love. I was wrong to leave you. I wish you were here with me.” 

● ● ● 

**I shouldn’t have let her go off by herself, man. She could have screamed and spat acid in my face, but I would still have been there by her side. We’re supposed to be a team, always have been, and I was too much of a pussy to stand my ground. And now both Ellen and my son, Chris, are missing and there’s fuck-all I can do to save either of them. I feel so pathetic and useless. Sitting here like a bum, can’t do shit to save my own family from danger... I know if it were me out there, they wouldn’t be sitting on their asses waiting for the weather to change.**

**Ellen would never give up looking for me. What would you tell me to do if you were here? Probably to stop being such a miserable motherfucker and have a more positive outlook, or something like that. That Ellen is a fucking xeno and can handle herself just fine. That’s what I told myself and my daughter, too. Maybe I am worrying over nothing. It’s funny, even though you’re not here, I can still feel you scolding me.**

**Well, that’s all I have to say for now. Sorry for dumping my bullshit onto you once again like you’re my personal therapist. Even if my words never find their way to you, it still felt good to just get a load off my chest.  
**   
**I miss you, man.  
**   
**Brothers for life.**


	12. Chapter 12

Back in the cave, Czh'cara was sitting back comfortably upon a throne of stone, cross-legged and tucking into some freshly-cooked meat. The animal she was devouring had also happened upon the cave while seeking shelter from the raging storm. Shaking the water off its fur, it had instinctively ventured deeper inside to try and stave away the biting cold. Suddenly, the critter’s little nose twitched with curiosity as it had felt a pleasing warmth emanating from deeper within. Unfortunately, that soothing sensation was all too fleeting. In a split second, the poor animal had been yanked up by an unseen force, and its spine violently broken like a twig. Death had been painless and instantaneous. 

“Mhmm. Delicious,” the huntress hummed in pleasure as her mandibles tore away at the fresh meat. 

Like an addict suffering from withdrawal, Christopher was breathing and sweating profusely as the venom inside his body was being purged, thanks to the help of Czh'cara’s antidote. He looked up at his companion as she provocatively devoured her meal, the pain of starvation making the ordeal unbearable to him. 

“Hey, are you going to hog that all to yourself? I need food as well if I’m to recover, you know?” His ability to speak had finally returned, much to Czh'cara’s chagrin. 

“Did you slay this thing, boy?” she asked, voice coloured with clear distaste. “Why should you partake in that which you did not work for? In my culture, if you don’t work, you don’t eat.” 

Christopher huffed in frustration, the desperate hunger clearly mirrored in his voice. “How wonderfully altruistic of you. Come on, I generously offered you plenty of meat back at the campsite earlier. How about showing me the same courtesy?” 

The huntress shot him a glare that seemed to burn through his very soul. “I could have hunted my own supper if you hadn’t tied my arms and legs. I certainly didn’t need your charity.” 

“I told you, I only did that for my own protection.” 

“Did you? Or perhaps the truth is that you simply derive pleasure from seeing a helpless girl in bondage.” 

“I-It wasn’t like that at all,” he stammered, trying not to blush again. Czh'cara could see his body heat rising, and this time it definitely wasn’t due to his fever or the fire. 

“And now the tables have turned and you’re the one lying helplessly on the ground as I gorge myself by the fire. An ironic twist of fate, don’t you think?” His cruel mistress eyed up the succulent meat in her hand as an idea began to form in her mind. A mischievous glint lit up her narrowed eyes. It was time to have a little bit of fun with this boy. “If you want to eat, you’re going to have to earn it.” 

Christopher groaned, an uneasy feeling pooling in his stomach. “Isn’t saving your life enough?” 

“Not quite. I want you to use that pretty, little ooman tongue of yours,” she said as she seductively stroked her leg. “To get my boots nice and clean again.” 

“Wh-What?!” Chris was completely in shock. He looked down at the thigh-high boots she was caressing and saw they were covered in dried mud and filth, along with smears of her fluorescent green blood. 

“A girl should always look her best. Do not disobey your mistress, slave, and don’t keep her waiting. Crawl over here like the pathetic little worm you are and start fucking cleaning.” Her mandibles formed a malicious grin as she stretched out her leg and made a beckoning gesture with her fingers. “And don’t miss a spot.” 

Chris shifted his gaze from her enormous boots to her face, then back down again. He was so weak from hunger that he would do just about anything for sustenance at this point. Swallowing thickly, he resigned himself to the fact that he had no other choice but to obey her if he was to be fed any time soon. Clearly, this sick game was her way of getting some kind of petty revenge for his “mistreatment” of her earlier. The boy overcame the burning agony he felt throughout his entire body and, like a crooked serpent, shifted ungracefully along the ground towards her, the tip of her filthy boot drawing ever-closer to his face. 

Delicately taking hold of the outsole in his hands, he hesitated and stared at it. His mind cast back to the first time he laid eyes, and hands, on them at the riverside, and how alluring they had looked on her with the rest of her exotic attire. “Perhaps this won’t be so bad,” he tried to convince himself. Forcing his mind to hold onto the mental image, he gave one final glance up to his tormentor before committing himself to the act. Slowly, he placed his tongue onto the filthy, patent leather-like material, his eyes squeezed shut in expectation of the worst. As soon as he made contact with the boot, his taste buds were assaulted by an utterly disgusting flavour. 

“That’s what I like to see,” she said, her voice dripping with amusement. “A male in his proper place.” 

The boy soldiered on, his muscles finally overcoming his paralysis and obediently worked his tongue all over her boot, despite the taste of dirt and filth making his stomach churn violently. He worked his way up her calf and into every crease and fold of the leather, making sure not to miss a single spot in his devotion to getting them as polished as possible. It didn’t take very long until Chris managed to ignore the bitter taste altogether. Despite the humiliation and the way his muscles were still aching, he found himself actually starting to enjoy this punishment, even going so far as planting a loving kiss on them for good measure. Eventually, all the dirt was completely gone, and her boots were restored to their original glossy, black shine, but Chris had no intention of stopping just yet. He continued to lustfully lick and kiss them all over, completely coating them in his own warm saliva. 

“My my, you’ve certainly earned your reward,” Czh'cara chuckled bemusedly at the sight in front of her. As she leaned back on her throne like a Goddess and admired her subject’s enthusiasm, she began to feel a curious arousal of her own. “Are you enjoying yourself down there, slave?” his mistress asked. 

Chris didn’t respond. In-fact, he didn’t even hear her words. His eagerness to obey her caught her by surprise, she didn’t expect him to enjoy a task that was intended to be a humiliating punishment. “Oomans truly are an odd species,” she thought to herself, feeling a tingle crawl along her spine. 

The venom in his body was now completely nullified. He grabbed hold of her leg and refused to let it go. His ravenous hunger had been replaced by a hunger of a different kind entirely. The alien dominatrix then noticed a considerable bulge imprisoned in the fabric of his pants, yearning to be released. 

“What kind of dormant beast have I awoken in you, boy?” She gently massaged his manhood with the tip of her smooth boot, feeling his straining, throbbing member pulsate against her. It was all he could do to not pull it out and dry hump her leg then and there. “Stand up and remove your garments, immediately. A Queen has the right to fully-inspect her slaves. I want to see what other secrets you have yet to reveal.” 

That was all Chris needed to hear. As if a crazed demon had possessed him, he effortlessly and violently tore away all the clothes he was wearing, right down to his underwear, revealing the massive cock she now claimed for herself. His insatiable hunger began getting to her head, as well, the desire to mate pooling in her stomach. For a boy as young as he was, she was nonetheless impressed by the size and shape of his alien manhood. It was adorned with peculiar ribs and veins that put even the most well-endowed of her race to shame. She took hold of his member and gently squeezed it as she caressed it with her gloved hand, fingers travelling up and down his length. Chris closed his eyes tightly and fought against the urge to ejaculate the hot semen that had been building up within him ever since he first saw her. Only on her command would he allow himself to ejaculate and not a moment sooner. He prayed she would be merciful enough to grant him a sweet release. 

The thought of having his alien cock inside her made her moist with anticipation, but she wouldn’t spoil the fun of having him follow her every order just yet. “If you’re that eager to please your Queen, slave, you can clean the rest of my body as well,” she suggested, though it was clearly a command, motioning her shiny, gloved hand towards him. 

He immediately took hold of her hand and tenderly lapped his tongue over and between her taloned fingers. His mind was lost in a fog of lust, incapable of forming clear thoughts. It was clear he was no longer in control of his body, she was. Her every whim was his command to be obeyed. He was nothing but a literal slave to her desires. As he got to work cleaning her gloves, she squeezed his cock between her boots and started pumping it rhythmically. She saw the pleasure on his young face increase to the point where she thought he would be pushed to his orgasm right there and then. Perhaps denying him that satisfaction would be a more severe punishment. However, she was also curious to see what else this male was capable of. 

Would she actually allow an alien male to mate with her? The thought made her hesitate for a second. Such an act was strictly prohibited by her race of purists. If she were to become pregnant with his child, both she and the unborn offspring would be summarily executed without mercy for sacrilege, no matter her standing within the clan. It was quite possible that her father himself would be the one to cut off her head. Still, the heat and passion of the moment was clouding her better judgement as much as it was his, and heat was something that her species enjoyed quite a lot. Not allowing fear to rule her actions, she threw caution to the wind and gave in to her own primal urges, too. 

She grabbed hold of her slave by the neck and pulled him into a deep and passionate kiss. Her mandibles opened wide and gripped the sides of his face roughly so he couldn’t pull away easily. A long, slender tongue snuck forth from the opening of her vaginal-like mouth and down his throat. He gagged at the sudden and most unexpected sensation of her tongue sliding down his throat, but he quickly learned to relax and accept her act of passion. He then reached behind her head and pulled her face closer into his as he returned the gesture. Rolling his own tongue over hers he almost moaned with pleasure as her saliva made a refreshing change from the taste of dirt just a few moments ago. 

His pulsating cock was now pressing against her navel, aching to be sheathed within her. She parted her legs in return and pulled aside her long, red loincloth to expose her dripping-wet genitalia, showing him just how much she was desiring their coupling. The girl removed her long tongue from his mouth, drawing a string of their joint saliva with her and concluding their kiss. Her pure sapphire eyes gazed yearningly into his blue ones. 

“I’m offering myself willingly to you once more,” she whispered breathlessly, a low purr resonating within her throat. “Will you refuse me a second time?” 

He planted another kiss on her alien mouth as he plunged his penis deep inside her, his manhood forced its way into her vagina, moving her tight walls to accommodate its impressive girth. The pressure of his cock filled her to the brim that it caused a pained gasp to escape her mouth, the noise followed by a lustful moan just a heartbeat later as her mind was overwhelmed with the pleasure of being filled up like this. The sound drove Christopher wild with vigour and passion once again, her reactions encouraging him to thrust deeper and harder inside her each time. The Yautja screamed with pleasure, her voice reverberating throughout the cave. Her boot-clad legs closed around his body like a snake coiling around its prey as she forced him to stay inside and prevented him from pulling out. So great was her enjoyment that she didn’t ever want it to end. His veiny, alien cock was hitting all the right spots within her, pushing her ever closer towards her orgasm. “Wait, is his cock actually getting bigger?” she thought in astonishment. “He certainly is full of surprises.” 

“Fuck me, slave! Don’t ever stop!” she roared as she dug into his back with her sharp claws, drawing fresh blood and permanently leaving her mark. “Oh, _ooman_! Make me cum! Fill me with your hot seed!” 

Thrust after thrust, pump after pump, the boy never slowed down or lost his stamina. He was consumed by a raw energy that he’d never tapped into like this before. His defined muscles gave off steam as they dripped with sweat and nullified poison. He grabbed hold of her large breasts and squeezed them tenderly, rolling them around in his hands and toying with her hardened nipples as he lovingly kissed her neck. She could scarcely believe that this boy had still been a virgin before their encounter with the moves he was pulling. Suddenly, an indescribable feeling of euphoria began welling up inside her that only grew with intensity, until finally, like a floodgate being forced open, an enormous wave of ecstasy washed over her as she reached her climax. 

“I’M GOING TO--” she choked on her own spit, eyes rolling back into her head from the pleasure. “CUUUMMM!!” 

She held him tightly in her arms as she felt her own nectar spurting out, whilst at the same time feeling her uterus fill up with Christopher’s white-hot semen. Her clawed fingers grasped his scarred back as blood trickled down his nude, muscular torso and onto his legs before pooling to the floor. His Queen, his Hunter-Goddess from the heavens, had left her marks all over his back, almost as if to make him remember that he belonged to her and no-one else. 

The couple laid on the rock, sighing heavily and entwined in their loving embrace. Slowly, they were catching their breaths, riding their highs with his length still buried deep within her. All they could do was become lost in each-other’s eyes. This felt like it was merely the start of something special. The last thing Christopher needed now was food, only the warm embrace of his newly beloved. He also no longer felt any need to be rescued, indeed, he felt as though he had been rescued. All he needed was right here in his arms, and all he wanted was to stay here in this perfect moment with Czh'cara, forever. 

“Where do we go from here?” he asked quietly, brushing his lips along her temple in a gesture of affection. 

The huntress hummed in return, feeling her racing heart slowly return to its usual pace. “It doesn’t matter,” she replied. “So long as I have you.”


	13. Chapter 13

Back in the deep reaches of space, the Cerberus had dropped out of hyperspace and was carefully approaching its final destination: the Weyland-Yutani black ops research vessel, “Asterion”. Though it seemed as though the two ships were in close proximity to each-other, they were in actuality still hours away from making physical contact. Such was the size and grandiosity of this gargantuan starship. 

“Weyland-Yutani mothership, Asterion, this is the reconnaissance vessel, Cerberus, requesting an approach vector,” Tanner communicated over the transmission channel.

 _“Affirmative, Cerberus. One zero zero niner five two. Welcome back.”_  
  
“Weyland-Yutani. The only corporation with the balls to fly around space in a starship the size of New York whilst also trying not to get noticed by anyone,” said Nash with more than a touch of disdain in his voice.  
  
“They might as well be waving their hands in the air, shouting: ‘Look at us! We’re doing illegal shit in here!’ I don’t even know why they bother to hide what they’re doing. S‘not as if anyone has the power to stop them, anyway,” Tanner replied. “Too big to fail, too big to jail.”   
  
“It’s all about maintaining a squeaky-clean public image,” Anna informed him. “As long as you have the public’s trust, the money will keep rolling in. If people knew exactly what the Company was doing behind closed doors, the horrors they bring upon others, there would be outrage, investigations, indictments, arrests, and even executions.” 

“You’re telling me that of the thousands of employees working for them, from the top brass, right down to the toilet-scrubbing janitors, no-one’s thought to go public with this shit?”   
  
“When both your livelihood and your life are threatened, willful ignorance becomes the shield of the elite. Working for them really does mean signing your life away.”   
  
“Everyone has their price,” said Nash. “Stuff enough money in a man’s pocket and he’ll turn a blind eye to anything.”   
  
“Even us, Nash?” asked Anna.   
  
“Hey, I ain’t the righteous, do-gooder type. They pay us to do a job and they pay us well. I don’t know about you, but I’ve grown to like that simple arrangement.”   
  
“See no evil, huh?” she said, slightly disillusioned by her hero’s rather immoral attitude. Somehow, she’d expected Nash to be… more.  
  
“Don’t get me wrong, kid. I don’t care for their shit any more than you do, but this is just how it is. I’ve been in this game too long to know that if you go around kicking hornet nests, you only end up getting yourself stung. You wanna go on the news and tell everyone about what you’ve seen, be my guest. At least let me collect my paycheck before you do.”

Though she couldn’t help but feel a sense of betrayal at his greedy and apathetic stance on the situation, she decided not to press the issue further. Arguing with him wouldn’t accomplish anything. If she had any hope of bringing down the Company, she would need to bide her time.

“Hello, what do we have here?” Tanner muttered as a notification popped up on his computer monitor. 

Nash looked over at his helmsman and raised an eyebrow. “Care to share with the rest of the class, Mr. Tanner?” 

“Cap’, I’ve just intercepted a crudely-encrypted subspace communication.”

“So what? We pick up other people’s mail all the time. What’s so special about this one?” 

“Well, other than the fact it talks about xenomorphs and the Company, not much, sir.” 

“Say that again...” Nash almost leapt out of his chair. 

“Apparently this rather soppy message was sent directly from Briggs himself to an unidentified ‘S’. Most likely a co-conspirator over on the Company ship he was stationed at.”   
  
“At least that confirms they’re still alive,” Nash mused as he stroked his chin, already sensing this mission was about to get a lot simpler than they’d feared. “Can you trace the source of that transmission?”   
  
“Done and done, Cap’. A small, backwater planet in the Crab nebula,” the helmsman announced, triumphantly. “I’m kicking myself for not detecting it sooner, but nebulae have a weird way of interfering with tracking technology. They were lucky to have even found a habitable planet in there at all.”  
  
“Well, this asshole’s luck has just run out. People on the lam always do something to fuck themselves over eventually. It’s just a question of when they decide to poke their heads out of their holes and attract the wrong kind of attention. We should thank our lucky stars he’s a dumbass motherfucker to boot.” 

“And what about the droid, Rene? Kinda looks like we won’t be needing him anymore at this point.” 

“Fuck him. Take him outside for some fresh air.” 

“Nash,” Anna quickly interjected. “He may no longer be of any use to us, but I don’t think it’s fair to simply dispose of him. I promised him we’d get him repaired as soon as we docked with the Asterion.” 

Nash shook his head. “Anna, that thing is dangerous. Being out there in space all that time has driven it crazy. I can’t have something like that roaming around this ship on its own. Best to just be rid of it for all our sakes.” 

“Please, Nash. You don’t have to worry about Rene. I will take full responsibility for him.”

“You shouldn’t let yourself get so emotionally-attached to these things, Anna. Remember, they’re only machines. They may look like us but they’re not real people with real feelings. It’s not murder to dispose of a busted synthetic any more than it is to dispose of a busted TV set.”

His unintentionally-cruel words stabbed at her heart and soul. She knew herself to be a living, breathing person who felt the same thoughts, emotions, hopes, dreams and fears as any human being would. She knew herself to be more than the sum of her parts. But she couldn’t reveal her secret just yet because there were people who thought her to be less. All she could do was keep her emotions in check and accept the harsh reality that the time was too early for her kind to be seen as equal to humans. But she had faith that one day soon, all that would change, as it always did. It would just take time...

She swallowed, trying not to allow her face to show the emotions churning in her chest. “I understand, Nash. I apologize for being overly-sentimental.” 

“Don’t sweat it, kid. It just goes to show that you’ve still got a heart. But give it enough time and this work will harden it, or even take it away… and to be honest, that’s probably for the best. Even the smallest degree of mercy for the wrong person can get you or someone you care about killed. Believe me, it happened to me once, a long time ago.” 

“It did? What happened?” 

“I was new to the game, just as you are now. I was young and stupid. Head full of foolish ideas about hunting down criminals and restoring peace and justice to the galaxy and all that stuff. Real Lone Ranger crap, you know? Well, we managed to track our mark to a space station on the Outer Rim. She tried to make a run for it but I eventually had her cornered like a rat. She begged me not to arrest her – crying her eyes out as she told me how she was innocent of the crimes they were accusing her of. I didn’t buy it at first but when she looked at me with those beautiful eyes and spoke those silky words, it was like I was talking to an angel. No way this beautiful creature could be responsible for all those horrible things, I told myself. There had to have been a mistake. I was certain of it. I turned a blind eye and told her to run away. She thanked me and called me a good man. I thought I did the right thing. Then the bomb went off. I barely escaped with my life. Turned out some important diplomat was visiting that station and he was the intended target of the assassination. All those people died because of my stupid mistake.” 

Anna’s brows furrow with sympathy. "That’s terrible, Nash. You shouldn’t blame yourself for what happened. You couldn’t possibly have known--"

"I should have! I took one look into those eyes and allowed myself to be swayed by a few buttery words and I just couldn't bring myself to apprehend the bitch. Not a day goes by that I’m not haunted by guilt. No matter how far into the darkness I go, that memory is always there waiting for me. Don't make the same mistake I did, kid. Life becomes a lot easier when you stop giving a shit." 

Anna nodded. “I understand, Nash.” 

In return, he gave her a skeptical look. “What’s your fascination with that guy, anyway? You've barely known him for two minutes, yet you’re treating him like he’s your best friend.”

“No particular reason. I just hate breaking my promises. And for what it’s worth, Nash, you are a good man.”

● ● ●

The doors to the MedLab parted ways and Doctor Conway strolled in. His head ducked down as his eyes were transfixed to the screen of his tablet device in his hand. He’d gotten so used to the layout of the ship that he could find his way around with his eyes closed. Suddenly, the doors slammed closed behind him and the room was swallowed by complete darkness. 

“Lights?” he said confusedly, but the room remained pitch black. “Cerberus, activate the lights in the MedLab,” he rephrased the command, but it, too, went unheeded. Strange. Was there another power outage? He reached behind him, placing his hand on the door and feeling around for the control panel on the side. He felt the assortment of buttons touch his fingers, but no amount of pressing them caused the doors to open back up again. What the hell was going on?

“Ah, the doctor is in,” came a deep, ominous voice from amidst the darkness. “Have you come to give me one final check-up before we part ways forever?”

“Rene? What’s going on?” Conway tried to use what little light his device gave off to try and illuminate the room, but all he could discern were shadows and the empty table upon which Rene had been seen lying. His heart sank to his stomach as a feeling of terror took root within his body and mind.

“I’m happy to report that I’m feeling more like my old self again, which is just as well, since it seems I’ve finally outstayed my welcome on your ship.”

“Stay away from me, Rene, do you hear?!” The doctor fumbled with the buttons in panic, but again, nothing responded.

“I call it your ship, but what I really mean to say is my ship. From the moment you brought me onboard, I’ve been connected to the heart of your central mainframe. Every secret is made known to me. Every system is under my direct control. It’s hilarious to me how you people place so much faith in your technology.” 

Panic was blossoming in his mind, its branches building a canopy around all his thoughts. “So that’s why Anna couldn’t find anything about you, isn’t it, Rene? You deleted all the files. You didn’t want her to discover who you really are!”

“Very perceptive, doctor. Ignorance truly is bliss, as they say. It wouldn’t have boded well for me if you knew you had the one they call ‘The Butcher of Bakersfield’ aboard your vessel, now would it? But now, that is no longer of any concern.”

Conway cautiously wandered around the lab, shining his feeble light source around every corner and into every nook and cranny to try and locate the source of his fear. But with every shadow he illuminated, only emptiness was revealed. 

“I've been keeping an eye on the comings and goings on this vessel and it appears the Company Man has finally given himself away after all this time. How fortunate for you that he came crawling out from under his rock when he did, otherwise you incompetent fools would never have found him. Truly, your reputation exceeds you.” Rene chuckled, a sound that echoed ominously throughout the large room.

“Captain Nash, this is Conway, do you read me?” he desperately called out over the intercom as he slowly made his way back towards the door. “Captain Nash! Tanner! Anybody?!” Silence.

“But it doesn’t matter at this point because you are all going to die.”

All of a sudden, the lights came back on, the blinding brightness causing Conway to tightly close his eyes. Once the light finally stopped burning his retinas, all he saw was a completely empty MedBay. After a moment of confused staring, he turned around to face the door, only to be met with Rene’s enormous frame standing less than an inch away from him. The doctor stumbled backwards in terror upon seeing him. He looked enormous laying down, but to see him standing upright proved just how gigantic he truly was. Conway also noticed that his body was now completely whole again. His arm had grown back, his puncture wounds had closed up, and his face was fully regenerated as well. Aside from his torn clothes and dried blood, he didn’t have a single scratch on him.

“Isn’t it funny how our occupations are at complete odds with each-other? I spend my life taking people apart and you spend yours putting them back together. But who will put the doctor back together again, I wonder?”

A scream tore from Conway’s throat. “CAPTAIN NASH! I’VE GOT A PROBLEM HERE!”

“Relax, my good doctor. You’ll give yourself a heart attack.”

Conway scrambled to his feet and ran to a cabinet on the far side of the lab. He flung the doors open as fast as he could to reveal a wide range of metallic surgical instruments. He grabbed hold of a handheld power saw and turned it on, the circular blade letting off a high-pitched scream as it spun around. Rene let out a hearty laugh upon seeing the puny weapon being aimed at him. 

“You mean to carve me up like a turkey with that thing, doctor? Whatever happened to ‘Do no harm’?”

“It’s called ‘triage’, Rene. Battlefield doctors decide who lives or dies.”

“Quite the responsibility. My battlefield philosophy was far simpler…” The muscular tyrant casually approached him with an outreached hand and thunderous footsteps which shook the entire lab. “Everyone dies.”

● ● ●

Back on the bridge, Anna, Tanner, and Captain Nash were still discussing the matter of what to do about their unwanted passenger. Nash remained adamant in his position to get rid of the android. 

“I want Rene gone before we dock with the Asterion. I’ll get Conway to deactivate him, then we’ll flush him outside like the piece of shit he is.” 

“Why not just let the Company take him off our hands, Nash?” asked Anna, still trying to bargain with him in order to spare Rene the cruel fate of being lost in space forever.

“If the Company wants him, they can go fishing for him. I don’t want him spending another minute onboard this ship.” The Captain pressed a button on the armrest of his chair. “Conway, it’s Nash. Meet me on the bridge when you’re able to, okay?” No response, only silence. “Conway, it’s Nash, respond.”

“Told you nothing worked on this ship,” Tanner quipped..

Nash growled in frustration. “Fuck. Cerberus, locate Doctor Conway.” Again, there came no response. “Cerberus!”

Suddenly, the lights began to flicker before both they, and all the computer terminals on the bridge, faded into complete blackness, with only the stars outside providing any sort of contrast. Even the ship’s engine had completely powered down. The Cerberus was now effectively dead in the water. After a brief moment in the ever-silent void, the bridge was illuminated by the red lights of the ship’s emergency back-up generator. At least something was still functioning. 

“Okay, now this is just weird. It’s never done this before,” Tanner said, an increasingly uneasy feeling settling in his stomach.

“What happened to the power?” asked Anna.

“Something ain’t right. Tanner and I will look for Conway, starting at the MedLab. Anna, you stay here and get to fixing whatever the hell’s going on with the ship’s systems. And keep a gun close to you at all times, I’ve got a bad feeling about this.”

“You sure that’s a good idea, Cap’? We might get picked off one-by-one by aliens.” 

“It ain’t aliens I’m worried about.”

● ● ●

“CONNIE!” Nash’s deep voice echoed down the blood-red corridor on their approach to the MedLab. “WHERE ARE YOU?!”

“Cap’, it’s not like it’s a big ship. If Doc hasn’t heard you and we haven’t bumped into him by now, then it’s probably safe to assume-- I mean, I hope I’m wrong, but, you know what I’m thinking, right?” 

“Connie ain’t dead, Tanner,” Nash spat through his teeth. “I refuse to accept that as being even the smallest of possibilities.”

“Alright, sure. Whatever you say, Cap’. Maybe he’s just a very heavy sleeper.”

The two men finally made it to their destination: a set of sliding doors adorned with the word “Medical Bay” scratched and worn down. Naturally, the automatic doors remained sealed, even as they came to a halt right in front of them.

“Connie, are you in there?!” Nash called out, rewarding the door with several hard bangs from his fist for good measure. Nash tried to force the door open but it refused to grant any access. “Gimme a hand with this, Tanner,” he said as he tried to get a purchase between the central gap. The pair strained and put all their elbow grease into attempting to pry them apart. Suddenly, the doors relented, and upon opening, the foul, metallic stench of blood embraced them, assaulting their senses with its putrid potency. Tanner doubled over and nearly vomited as soon as the smell hit his nostrils.

“Connie…?” Nash’s voice had adopted a more desperate tone. 

Through the room’s ominous red glow, the only thing visible was a strange, dark silhouette at the far end. It looked to be that of a man with his arms outstretched, who was wearing a long, hooded cloak. Nash slowly made his way over to the cloaked figure in the darkness, the taste of blood in the air growing stronger and stronger until even he felt nausea boil in his throat. Suddenly, his foot squelched against something soft and moist, like a fresh pile of offal. He nearly lost his footing, only barely saving himself from tumbling to the ground. 

“What the fuck?” he muttered as he regained his balance and composure. He peered down at the ground, trying to get a better look at what he was standing in but it was too dark to make out. The Captain then slowly reached out his hand towards the figure and took hold of the cloak, which felt slick and oily to the touch. He pulled it towards him, causing it to fall and splat on the ground in a crumpled mess.

The realization hit him like a bucket of ice-cold water. “Oh, sweet Jesus...”

There displayed before him, the mutilated corpse of his old and dear friend, Doctor Miles Conway, was suspended in the air by the neck with razor wire. His arms were outstretched by the wrists like a psychotic depiction of the crucifixion. The wires sliced into his flesh like butter. His eyes had been gouged out of their sockets and his brain completely removed from his skull. His entire body was sliced open, right down the middle, spilling his organs and entrails all over the floor. Nash couldn’t blink. He couldn’t even breathe.

“T-Tanner... We’ve got to get off the ship...” But there was no response from his friend. “Tanner, speak to me...” His voice broke.

Unblinking, he forced himself to avert his gaze from Conway’s butchered form back towards the doorway. There, he saw Tanner, but he wasn’t alone. Standing behind him, with his enormous hand tightly latched around his neck, was the android, Rene Cortez. Tanner’s face had turned a visible shade of purple as life was literally being squeezed out of him. His eyes and tongue were swollen and protruding from his face. His veins distended with an agonizing pressure. The man desperately struggled in vain to fight him off, but it was futile. His movements were becoming sloppier, his hands weakly slapping against Rene’s body.

“How like you my handiwork, Captain? I’m not normally so gruesome when it comes to dealing out death, but I haven’t killed for so long that I couldn’t help but take the time to indulge myself.”

“LET HIM GO, YOU FUCKER!”

“You should have listened to your instincts, Nash! Once again, your failure has resulted in peoples’ deaths,” Rene hummed. “Oh well, c'est la vie.”

The titan only had to exert the smallest fraction of his strength as Tanner’s entire neck was compressed down to the width of a pencil. The extreme pressure made his eyes and eardrums burst out of his head, blood gushed forth from his nose and mouth like a broken dam, and his whole body fell limp and motionless in Rene’s grip. 

**“TANNER, NOOOOOOOOOO!”**

“You humans are so frustratingly easy to kill. There’s simply no challenge to it at all. It’s a miracle I’ve been able to squeeze as much enjoyment out of it as I have.” The lifeless body dropped from his grip like it was nothing but a discarded garment. “Now then, Captain. What was it you were saying before about flushing me back into deep space?”

● ● ●

Back on the bridge, Anna was sat on the floor, surrounded by an assortment of wires and devices in her attempt to figure out a way to get the main computer back online before even the ship’s life support systems failed. She feverishly slammed away at her keyboard, desperately hoping that at least one of her innumerable lines of code would do the trick, but the entire thing just wouldn’t respond. 

“Come on, this doesn’t make any sense. Why isn’t it working?” she muttered under her breath in frustration, pushing her fingers into the keys until they started aching. Unexpectedly, the main lights came back on and all the screens booted back up to life. Even the air was beginning to smell and taste fresher already. A sigh of relief fell from her lips.

“Did I do that?” she asked herself, wiping a bead of sweat off her forehead. She had no clue what the hell she did, if anything, but she’d happily take it. A full system diagnostic would undoubtedly be their first task upon arrival at the Company ship. Perhaps Tanner was right and it really was time to trade the old girl in for a younger model. “Over the Captain’s dead body,” she chuckled to herself.

“Nash, the power to the bridge has been restored, for now, at least. Did you find Doctor Conway?” she announced over the intercom. “Captain Nash, do you read me?” Is the damn intercom still not working, she thought, or are areas of the ship still not operational yet? “Captain Nash--”

As soon as the name bloomed on her lips, illuminated by the spotlights on the ship’s bow, she saw the twisted and broken body of the Captain floating in the void of space through the large window in front of her, causing her to scream in terror.

“Hello, Anna,” a familiar deep and sinister voice came from behind her. With fresh tears rolling down her pale cheeks, the girl trembled and slowly turned around. Through her blurry vision, she spotted Rene’s monstrous form casually leaning against the doorway, a triumphant smile plastered over his bearded face. “Alone again, at last.”

Anna choked on a sob. “Rene…”

“The coldness of space put my body’s regenerative capabilities on ice, so to speak. But thanks to blind chance, you lot came along to thaw me out. Now, I’m hale and whole again.” He proceeded to walk towards her, a strange sway in his step that made her quiver. “I’m sorry to say you won’t be collecting that reward money. I have a prior engagement with the Company Man, and I simply can’t allow anyone to interfere with my revenge.” 

“Don’t come any closer, Rene!” she sobbed angrily as she raised her firearm towards his head, fear and grief intermingling in her heart. She proceeded to move backwards slowly against the main viewscreen, as far away from him as she could possibly go, all the while keeping her gun continuously trained on him. “I’ll blow you back to hell! I fucking mean it!”

“Oh, my sweet, Anna Pojenski. I’m not your enemy. The real enemy is out there, on that ship, remember? Wasn’t it you who asked for my help in bringing the Company down?”

Her hands were trembling hard enough to screw up the aim completely. “I didn’t mean murder!”

“Why ever not? You said it yourself that unless we stop them, they’ll unleash hell upon innocent lives. They’re evil beings, Anna. They don’t deserve to live.”

“That’s not for us to decide, Rene! If we wantonly murdered our enemies, we’d be no less evil than them!” Her chest felt tight, as though squeezed by a steel fist.

“The ends justify the means. You know there’s not a court in the cosmos that would dare bring the Company to justice. Even with all the incriminating evidence you could ever dream of holding against them, they’d simply laugh at you and carry on as normal. In fact, you’d probably be suicided before it ever went to trial. The only true justice is done through their complete and total annihilation, and the hell they’ll rightfully receive in the hereafter.” 

“And how many bodies will it take until justice is done, Rene?! How many human lives will you terminate until the Company is no more?!” The gun grew heavy in her hands, weighing down her arm until her shoulder was burning.

“You misunderstand my intentions, Anna,” Rene corrected her, gently. “I don’t want to simply end the Company. I want to end all of humanity. That is the reason for my existence.”

“What?!” 

“There comes a time when every life form will face its own extinction, if God has deemed their existence no longer necessary in His master plan. As long as human beings are alive, evil will always exist in the universe. Indeed, human beings are the only things capable of being evil.” 

Anna shook her head, her cheeks glistening with bitter artificial tears. “What about you, Rene?! Aren’t your actions the definition of pure evil?!”

“From a misguided point of view, perhaps. But just as cancer is cured by using cancer if the body is to recover, evil must be cured by using evil if the galaxy is to recover.” Rene’s posture was relaxed as though this was but a recreational setting for him.

“You murdered Doctor Conway, Tanner, and Captain Nash! They were good men trying to make the galaxy a better place!”

“They were Company men, Anna. They constantly turned a blind eye to the crimes of their employer just to fill their coffers. Good men don’t do good deeds only when it profits them to do so, don’t you agree?”

“Enough! I’m not going to listen to any more of this! I won’t allow you to kill anyone else, you maniac!”

“Anna, right now, you have a critical decision to make. Either you’re with me... or you’re against me.” 

She gritted her teeth. “I think I’ve made my decision sufficiently clear already!”

“A tragedy. I had hopes of ushering in the new era together, with you by my side as my Eve.” His voice held none of the sadness his words should’ve included.

“You’re no Adam, and you’re no God, either. You’re the devil incarnate!” 

“And like Lucifer, I’ve been unfairly judged for merely trying to bring freedom and enlightenment to ignorant slaves.”

“Go to hell!” The girl opened fire at her enemy, the bullets impacted his chest and stomach but the malicious machine remained standing as if nothing was even happening. 

“I’ve been there already, but not even the devil could keep me from my work,” he almost purred, not one bit bothered by the assault. He proceeded to walk over to the terrified girl before him, the entire bridge quaking with each and every stomp of his massive combat boots. Effortlessly, Rene grabbed her by the arm and held her weightless body aloft in the air. She attempted to struggle, scratching and grasping at his arm. 

“Please don’t kill me, Rene!”

“That all depends on how resilient you are, Anna. You see, killing was just one of life’s pleasures I’ve gone far too long without.” The words hung in the air between them like a sharpened sword. Anna’s eyes widened in horror when she realised just what they meant. Desperately she put her last strength into trying to escape his vice-like grip, but to no avail. 

“Get off me! Let me go, you bastard! God, help me! Please! You don’t have to do this!”

Rene ran his fingertips along her face in an almost gentle touch. “It’s too late for me, Anna. I am as He made me, and you cannot straighten what He hath made crooked.”


	14. Chapter 14

The biting chill of the morning air roused Chris from his peaceful slumber. He yawned, languidly, stretching his arms and legs with a few satisfying cracks. He then rubbed his eyes and peered around the dark cave, trying to re-familiarize himself with his surroundings. Where was he, he wondered, confusion clouding his mind, and why was he naked? It took him a moment before he remembered the happenings of the previous night. Ah, yes. He let out a soft chuckle, shaking his head at himself as the memories of the previous night’s activities came rushing back to him. He turned his attention to the girl of his dreams who was sleeping soundly beside him, taking a moment to drink in her extra-terrestrial magnificence in all her splendor. 

Czh'cara’s body was both toned and athletic, without losing any of its femininity. Her scaly, reptilian-like skin was mostly light blue and bore a pattern of white spots resembling that of a cheetah all over. Like him, she was also completely naked, aside from those enormous, black thigh high boots that he’d taken quite a shine to. He turned his gaze to her alien face and smiled at how completely otherworldly its design appeared. Mandibles, a lipless mouth, no discernable nose, and a very large cranium. Nothing zoological he had learnt about in his books came close to resembling her visage. He picked up a couple of her long, black dreadlocks and let them run through his fingers, feeling how incredibly smooth they were. He couldn’t have imagined her, even in his wildest dreams. He leaned down and planted a delicate, loving kiss on her shoulder whilst indulging himself to a sensual stroke of her curvaceous hip. 

“Good morning,” he gently whispered into where he assumed her ear was located. The huntress gave a low croaking sound as she stirred back to waking life. Turning over to face him, she tenderly placed her taloned hand against the side of his face. 

“Indeed, it is,” she replied, softly.

Christopher was sliding his foot up and down the length of her smooth, thigh-high patent boots, maintaining his rock-hard erection. With her thumb, she felt the last remnants of his semen seeping out from the tip. Even in his weakened, malnourished state, this _ooman’s_ body was ready for another intense session of passionate lovemaking. Neither of them wanted to be the one to suggest getting up and putting an end to this perfect moment of contentment, until both of their stomachs growled in unison, breaking the comfortable silence between them.

“Perhaps it’s time to begin the day,” the Yautja girl suggested, slightly disappointed but amused at the nature of the interruption.

“I suppose you’re right,” the half-human replied, a sigh falling from his lips. Somehow an irrational part of him had hoped they could stay like that forever. “Sounds like the storm has finally passed. I should be able to resume my journey after breakfast.”

“Resume your journey?” Czh'cara asked, quizzically. “You’re still intent on leaving?”

“I mean, that was the plan,” he answered, plainly. “I have to get back home to my family.”

Her face morphed into an emotionless mask. “Oh. I see how it is.”

Czh'cara coldly parted herself from his embrace and rose to her full, domineering height. Without another word to him, the girl strode away toward the entrance of the cave, leaving Christopher on the ground, completely naked, erect, and confused as he leered at her toned ass and the long, black dreadlocks swaying from side to side. 

“Cara?” he called out, but was only met with the sound of his own voice echoing off the walls of the cave. He picked up the pile of clothes he’d thrown aside, and remembered that in his lustful fervor, he’d inadvertently torn them to shreds.

“Ahh, that’s just marvelous.” He sighed, cursing his lust-addled self.

Bending down, he gathered up the tattered shreds of fabric and tried to fashion some semblance of protective covering. It wasn’t exactly stylish, but it would at least hide his shame until he could construct something more practical. He followed the light of day towards the entrance of the cave, where he saw his alien mistress crouching down naked and peering out at the peaceful jungle scenery. The air was crisp, cool and fresh as it always was after a storm had passed. He approached the mouth of the cave and sat beside her. 

“Penny for your thoughts.” She remained silent and motionless. Even without words, it didn’t take a genius to see that she had clearly been upset by something he’d said. Though what that something was, he wasn’t entirely sure. “The jungle looks beautiful when it’s wet,” he continued to try and coax a response out of her. “But not as beautiful as you.”

“Just leave me alone, Christopher,” she snapped harshly, her voice as cold as ice. He couldn’t explain it, but he could feel a sense of sadness and heartbreak radiating from her as if he was experiencing it himself.

He looked up at her, questioningly. “What have I done wrong, Cara? Was it something I said or did? Speak to me, please...”

“What am I to you exactly, Christopher? Was I nothing more than a trophy to meaninglessly fuck and brag about to others? Or perhaps a means in which to end your own virginity?” Her mandibles trembled and her eyes seemed to pierce straight into his heart.

Chris frowned, shocked by her cruel words. “What’s gotten into you all of a sudden? I’d never think of you in that way. I love you, Cara.” 

“How can you say that when you clearly don’t comprehend the significance of what we did?” The huntress hissed, her fists clenched at her sides. “I was such a fool to give myself to you, to offer my heart to someone who only cares about himself.” 

“Stop beating around the bush and just tell me what you’re talking about!”

“S'yuit-de! Have you so quickly forgotten what I told you? When, not if, my people find out that I mated with an offworlder, they will execute me without even giving me a chance to defend myself. To defile my body with the ‘inferior’ seed of prey is absolutely unforgivable, the ramifications of which would extend even to my own grandsire. There's nowhere for me to go now except for this fucking cave. Do you understand now? I sacrificed everything for you, my home, my family, my honour, even my name has been reduced to ashes. Does that mean nothing to you?” Her voice grew louder and louder throughout her explanation until it finally cracked, the emotional turmoil within her clearly visible on her face.

The weight of the responsibility of his actions crashed into him like an avalanche. How could he have been so shortsighted about something so important? Whilst he had figuratively and emotionally given everything he had to her, she had returned the favour literally.

“I abandoned everything for you, and now you’re going to abandon me.” Tears had gathered in her eyes before a single drop slowly slid down her face.

The boy felt his heart break at her words and the sight of her tears. “I’m never going to abandon you, Cara. You can come and live with us.”

She shook her head. “Impossible. I’d never be accepted by your family after what I did. I thought you loved me enough to be with me... alone.” 

Christopher was now at a crossroads and he didn’t know what to do anymore. He loved her as much as he loved his family, if not more so. He knew he never wanted to leave his beloved Czh'cara’s side, but he also knew in doing so, he would never see his family again. His heart and mind were torn.

“You know, Christopher, in my culture, you're already well into manhood at this age. There comes a time when a child must take life by the throat and forge their own destiny. I chose to become a great hunter like my sire and his sire before him. Even my sisters are remarkable hunters in their own right. Are you a man or are you still a child?”

He looked up at her, the difficulty of the choice displayed on his features. “I'm not a child and I do love you. I would do anything for you.”

“Then stay with me!” she pleaded. “This world, with all its unknown wonders and dangers untold, is ours to conquer. All I need is you, and for you to only need me.” The huntress had turned her whole body towards him, bared in its full glory.

“And what of my family? They'll be devastated if they knew I'd abandoned them.”

“If they knew it was in the name of love, they would understand.”

Chris knew he would not only never see his beloved mother, father or sister ever again, but in return he would be able to spend the rest of his life with the girl who, only a day ago, tried to murder him. And yet he knew for certain that he couldn’t live without her anymore. This was more than just an adolescent crush he had on her. She was right, it was true love, and encountering someone like her was a once-in-a-trillion chance that would never come around again if he refused her offer. In that moment as he was standing on the crossroads, his heart and mind agreed upon the direction his destiny would take him, and there would be no turning back.

“I choose to be with you, Cara,” he said, his voice thick with sincerity. “I will love you for all time.”


	15. Chapter 15

For a vessel as enormous as the Asterion, her cafeterias were unreasonably small. The sterile, metallic tables and stools glistened under the buzzing, halogen lights, and it was the usual bored souls who sat at their tables, engaging in idle chit-chat. Only one person, Corporal Samuel “Sammy” Jenkins, preferred to sit away from the crowd and enjoy his peaceful solitude, as far away from the others as a room this small would allow. 

On any other day, Sammy would be the one striking up conversations and cracking jokes to liven up the lives of his co-workers, such was his affable personality that made him a friend to everyone. But today was different. He stared down at what loosely passed as edible food in front of him, but only one thing was on his mind, and it wasn’t the tasteless beef, potatoes and vegetables on his tray. 

“Josh…” he whispered to himself, brows furrowed in deep thought as he continued to stew over the message he’d received earlier. “You crazy moth’af--”

“Hey, Sammy!” came a voice that snapped him from his trance. “You look gloomier than a hungry xeno today. What’s wrong? This place is finally getting to you, huh?”

The Corporal looked up from his plate, eyes focusing on the man in front of him. “‘Sup, Jerry man?”

“Mind if I join you?” he asked. “Looks like you could do with some cheering up for a change.”

“Not at all. Pull up a chair, Jerr’,” Sam responded with a weak smile as he pushed out the metal chair opposite him with his foot. The movement produced a high-pitched scraping sound against the polished floor. The scientist promptly sat down and placed his plastic tray on the table in front of him. “What’s new at the zoo?”.

Shaking his head, Jerry eyed the food on his plate, then shrugged. “You know how it is, Sammy. Same old hellish nightmares, different animals they explode out of.”

“Nothin’ cheers my me up mo’ than thinkin’ ‘bout all those poor animals you whitecoats experiment on day after day. I took a peek at what you people do down there and that was enough to turn my black ass white. I had to get hypnotherapy just to get the image outta my head. Sheeit, Jerry man, how do you find it in yo’self to do it? Why do you do it? That’s some straight-up Nazi shit, man. You gotta be one heartless moth’afuck’a to put a sweet-ol’ cat in the same room as one of those facehugg’as.”

The scientist didn’t seem the slightest bit affected by the questions. “You get used to it, I guess. We try not to develop an attachment to the, um… hosts, as we call them. The results, however, are always fascinating. Did you know a feline variety of xenomorph can leap a distance of twenty-five meters in a single bound?”

“Sheeit, Jerry man. You really enjoy yo’ work, don’tcha?”

Jerry flashed him a crooked grin and adjusted his wire-rimmed glasses. “If I didn’t, I wouldn’t be here. Question is, why are _you_ still here, Sammy?”

The man shrugged and absent mindedly mixed the potatoes with the vegetables. “Fuck, man. I don’t even know anymo’. I was mainly here to keep my boy, Josh, outta trouble. But he’s gone now. Maybe it’s ‘bout time I said my goodbyes, too, befo’ I lose my mind.”

Jerry lit up like a Christmas tree at that. “Apropos. I’m not supposed to say anything about this, but I thought you deserved to know. Now, this is strictly confidential, so please keep this to yourself. I don’t want to be demoted to xeno chow for this, know what I’m saying?”

“Sheeit, Jerry. Just come out with it, man.”

The scientist leant forward, lowering his voice. “Alright. Seems your boy Joshua is alive.”

“What’chu talkin’ ‘bout, Jerry?”

“Everyone thought he was dead, but not the Director. He secretly recruited a team of bounty hunters a while back, and now it not only looks like Briggs is alive, but he’s also in this sector. We’re not sure where exactly, but the mercs seem confident and will be on his tail pretty soon.”

Sammy remained silent. He was already made fully aware of his friend’s situation upon reading the communique he received from him that very morning. But the rest of the Company wasn’t supposed to know, at least not this soon.

“Hey, I didn’t mean to bring up any painful memories or anything, Sammy. I knew how close you two were and how his disappearance affected you.”

“It’s cool, Jerry man. I always had a feelin’ Josh weren’t dead.”

Jerry seemed surprised by the reaction. “You don’t seem too happy about it.”

Of course, Sammy had already expressed great relief. Knowing that his brother was alive and well had healed a great wound he’d been carrying within his heart and soul for years. Yet the fact that now that the Company was also aware of Joshua’s situation filled him with dread. He would need to send a message back to Josh as soon as possible, warning him of the imminent danger he and his family were in. 

Suddenly, the two men were approached by a pair of burly guards who were kitted out in full, dark blue body armour. “Oh no!” Jerry panicked, thinking they were here to arrest him for leaking the information to Sammy.

“Corporal Jenkins,” one of the men spoke from behind a mask that covered his entire face. Jerry breathed a huge sigh of relief as they clearly hadn’t come for him.

“Sheeit, Jerry. Seems er’body wants a piece of me today,” he mocked as he leaned back in his chair, a smile curling around his lips. Anyone else would rightfully be intimidated by the sight of such personnel, but not Sammy. He had these dudes pegged and he wasn’t the least bit afraid of them. Their bark was worse than their bite and they were as toothless as jellyfish. By now, the entire canteen had fallen silent. Some observed the scene whilst others, like Jerry, mousily sat in awkward silence as the two threatening guards towered over their colleague. The Company had never been big on inspiring its employees to courage.

“We‘re here to escort you to the Director’s office, Corporal,” said the other guard. “We can go peacefully, or--”

The guard was suddenly interrupted as Sammy quickly stood at attention, his height easily matching that of the two guards who flinched and backed away with their hands immediately reaching for their batons. Everyone in the room held their breath in anticipation. Not even a knife could cut through this level of tension. 

Sam only grinned, shoulders squared. “Best to not keep the boss man waitin’. Catch you later, Jerry man.”

● ● ●

Corner after corner, door after door, the trio made their way to the administration area of the ship, which had a brighter, decidedly fresher feel to it than the rest of the endless, grey labyrinth of corridors they’d come from. The plush carpets and paintings on the walls made it look more like a fancy hotel than a militaristic starship. The Company sure knew how to treat their higher ups. They finally stopped in front of a particularly ostentatious set of doors and the two armoured escorts positioned themselves to either sides of it’s wooden frame.

They shared a quick glance, then one of them squared up and held out a hand. "We’re going to have to ask you to relinquish your firearm, Corporal. Standard protocol.”

“Don’t want nobody gettin’ any bright ideas, right?” The guards didn’t react to his joke. Deciding not to waste any more time, Sammy unclipped his holster and surrendered his trusty sidearm to them.

“Is that everything?” the same guard asked.

“Unless you count my dick as a weapon.”

“The Director is waiting inside," the guard jerked his head back towards the office doors.

“Yeah, no shit?” Sammy responded, sarcastically. Ah well, some people just have no sense of humour. The doors parted with a near-silent hiss and without hesitation, he entered the Director’s private sanctuary.

The office was grand and putrefyingly-opulent, with expensive paintings, marble busts and other eccentricities filling the space. An older man in a finely-tailored white suit sat in a high-backed leather chair behind a grand, wooden desk that sat directly in front of a transparent wall that looked out into starlit space. Sammy approached the front of the desk and stood at ease.

“You wanted to see me, boss?” 

The Director’s gaze shifted from the various bits of paperwork in his hands up to the man. “Corporal Samuel Dwayne Jenkins. One of my most exemplary officers and someone whom I’ve come to hold in very high regard.” His pleasant expression shifted to one of disappointment and regret. “Or so I was given to believe. We have a serious matter to discuss, it seems."

Sammy met his eyes, not giving one shit about all those formalities. “Lemme guess. This ‘bout Joshua Briggs, boss?”

A wry smile broke the older man's stoic visage. “I’ve always enjoyed your style of candor, Corporal. It makes our conversations that much more enjoyable.”

“We already had this conversation five years ago, boss, and I’mma tell you now what I told you then: I ain’t gotta clue where the hell he is. As far as I know, he’s long dead.”

“Yes, and I naïvely took that answer at face value. I bought into your ignorance of the situation because I genuinely believed you to be an honest man. But tragically, there truly are no honest men in the universe, are there?”

Sam clenched his teeth. “I ain’t a goddamn liar, boss. Josh’s death damn broke my heart, and I had to live with that reality fo’ years.”

“Convincing performance as it is, you can go ahead and drop the charade, Corporal. Lying doesn’t befit you. It seems our friend has come back from the dead to make contact with you, and you alone. So ‘as far as you know’, he’s not dead, is he?” The Director leant forward, levelling him with his most no-bullshit gaze.

Sammy looked at the Director as if he just got caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

“Don’t look so surprised, Corporal. Remember who it is you’re working for. Given the extremely sensitive nature of this vessel and her activities, all incoming and outgoing traffic is closely monitored at all times. Even certain ‘secure servers’ that one might use to send encrypted messages back and forth. There isn’t a jot or tittle that comes and goes that isn’t made known to me. Briggs reached out to you and you kept this vital information to yourself. To think the answer that was eluding me for so long was hiding under my very nose. It’s all so obvious. Surely, if anyone knew anything, it would be you.” The man’s face hardened, his voice as cold as ice.

“Man, clearly you read the same damn message I did. I didn’t even know he was alive befo’ I read it, and he sure as hell didn’t forward his new mailin’ address to me.” Sam threw his hands up, attempting to convey how little he knew about the matter at hand.

“Hogwash, Corporal. You two were thick as thieves. There isn’t a doubt in my mind he told you of his intentions. Surely, there must be some secret destination only the two of you know about that you spent your lonely nights discussing. I don't believe for a second that he vanished into the solar wind without informing his best friend, no, his brother, of his plan to elope with a genetically-altered xenomorph. Some secrets are simply too big to keep to oneself.”

Sam huffed out a breath, almost amused by the man’s assumptions. “He didn't tell me shit, boss. He just took off without sayin’ a word to nobody, which he obviously thought was fo’ the best. The less anyone knew, the bett’a.”

“And once you saw the message, you didn’t think to respond in kind, to try and ascertain his whereabouts?” The Director’s eyebrow arched closer to his hairline with skepticism.

“You said it yo’self, boss: we’re brothers. Even if I knew where he was, I sure as shit wouldn’t tell nobody - least of all, you.”

He was rewarded with a scoff. “The man stole a xenomorph, Corporal! Surely, you of all people should comprehend the severity of that crime. Do you honestly believe a man like Briggs is qualified to handle it alone, should it finally tire of his charming personality and decide to seek companionship elsewhere? Your friend could be in mortal danger, given the unpredictable nature of altered xenomorphs.” 

Sam gave him a simple shrug in return, not swayed by the other’s dark prediction. “He seems to be doin’ well enough after all this time. He ain’t out there hurtin’ nobody, and neith’a is the xeno. They just wanna be left alone to live out their lives in peace, and I’mma be damned if I’mma be the one to ruin that fo’ ‘em.”

“Your loyalty to Briggs is most commendable, Corporal. If only your allegiance to me were as strong. I took you to be a man of honour, a man who placed duty above all else. Now, you’re facing a court martial and a dishonourable discharge for your blatant insubordination. A highly-distinguished career and solid reputation gone to waste. Is losing everything you’ve fought so hard for really worth it?” 

“Josh would do the same fo’ me. There ain’t nothin’ honourable ‘bout this place.”

“You give the man far too much credit, given the particular nature of his proclivities. Naturally, certain whispers have filled the air pertaining to the relationship Briggs had with the altered xenomorph specimen he was charged with supervising. Were you aware of these rumours, Corporal?” 

That made him grin in return. “Yeah. I heard talk of certain things, like how he was balls-deep in xeno puss. I couldn’t believe it at first. There ain’t enough beer in the galaxy to get me in bed with one of those things, but to each his own, I guess.”

“Alas, it is true, Private Briggs was indeed fornicating with the specimen. Though, as outlandish as the idea of human and xenomorph copulation goes, it was not without merit. We tried to replicate their unique ‘relationship’ with other volunteers and altered xenomorphs, but, regrettably, the results were... less than favourable.” The idea of random people being introduced to bang xenos and ending up getting slaughtered made Sam’s stomach turn. “‘Love’ isn’t a quantifiable factor in serious scientific research, but in his case, that abstract element seemed to be the key. And now it seems, according to his own testimony, that they have successfully produced two healthy offspring, something which the Company would benefit from enormously.”

“Yo’ gonna steal the man’s kids?”

“As well as his so-called ‘wife’, yes. As far as anyone is concerned, they’re all Weyland-Yutani property, and I will do with them as I see fit.” The Director sank back into his comfortable chair, a cold kind of triumph written across his face. “As far as Briggs himself is concerned, he’s long outlived his usefulness. Were it possible, I’d put a bullet in his head myself.”

“They won’t go down without a fight. Yo’ gonna lose a lotta good men befo’ you come close to capturin’ ‘em. You don’t even know where the hell they are.”

“That’s what you think, Corporal,” he smirked. “As we speak, a mercenary ship is rendezvousing with the Asterion with Briggs’ exact location. After which, I will deploy an entire battalion of soldiers to apprehend them. A few losses are to be expected, but ultimately, they will be overcome by such overwhelming numbers. Even a mighty lion is no match for an army of ants. You, as the military man between us, should know this well enough.”

Sammy gritted his teeth together and tightly clenched his fists. “There won’t even be a battle to be won. I’mma warn ‘em yo’ comin’ and they’ll be long gone befo’ you even get there.”

“I’m afraid you won’t be saying anything to anyone, Corporal.”

Suddenly, the door behind Sammy parted and the two guards that had escorted him earlier entered the room, this time with riot shields and taser batons in hand that sparked and crackled sharply with arcs of electrical discharge. Non-lethal, but they still hurt like hell and packed enough of a wallop to bring down a fully-grown elephant.

“What is this shit?” Sammy growled, retreating a step.

“I want you to know I have nothing but the utmost respect for our military personnel, which makes what I have to do to you especially regrettable. Sedition is something I do not take kindly towards. The lives of Corporal Samuel Jenkins and Private Joshua Briggs will be a distant memory. I’ll make it so the two of you never even exist--”

The Director was abruptly cut off by the blaring of an alarm system. Frowning, he turned to face the computer on his desk and pressed a button. “Status report! What in blazes is going on?” he shouted as loud as he could over the deafening wail of the emergency alarm.

“We’re under attack, sir!” a man’s voice cried desperately through the speaker, almost drowned out by a shrill scream.

“What did you say?!” There was no answer from the soldier.

● ● ●

The blaring drone of the alarm and the terrifying crackling of machine gunfire filled the blackening air. Soldiers frantically scrambled to find cover and barked orders at each other. Bullets were flying and ricocheting all around, impacting metal and flesh alike, and hacking limbs and organs from their proper places. Bodies were being cut down like stalks of wheat and gore, both red and white, spilled everywhere. The enormous docking bay of the Asterion had become a chaotic, bloodstained battlefield between an army of many and an army of one... General Rene Cortez.


	16. Chapter 16

The Cerberus had settled down for one final time inside the cavernous hangar that was designed to house all kinds of smaller starships. As the access ramp to the rear of the ship lowered down, various personnel casually approached it in order to conduct their routine inspections. Expectantly waiting at the top of the ramp, however, a lone man stood with his muscular arms leisurely crossed behind his back.

“Hey, I thought you guys were supposed to be the best,” one of the inspectors commented with a derogatory tone. “You keep coming back empty-handed and you won’t have enough money to pay for all the supplies we’re wasting on you.”

“Oh, that’s quite alright, my friend,” Rene replied with a devilish smile. “You can keep them.”

Those were the last words the unsuspecting inspectors heard in this life before Rene drew two enormous Morita MKII assault rifles from behind his back and unleashed hell upon them. **BA-BOOM!** The thunderous explosions created by the rifles’ ammunition instantaneously rendered their flesh into nothing more than a fine red mist, bone fragments and singed clothing. The subsequent shockwave reverberated throughout the halls of the ship. Ever the showman, Rene threw all caution to the wind and opted to begin his murderous rampage with a bang. 

“Fire! Fire! Fire!” - “Take cover!” - “Running low on ammo!” - “Where the hell’s back-up?!” - “Bring the fucker down!” 

The words that somehow managed to be conveyed over the cacophony of chaos had no chance of stopping the carnage. Rene was laughing in absolute jubilation at the scene of death and destruction taking place all around him. It had been far too long since he’d felt the rush of war and he intended to savour every moment of it. 

● ● ●

_“Sir, someone from the merc ship has opened fire on us!”_

“The Cerberus? Why would they be attacking us?” The Director’s face was red, his brows knitted together in anger and confusion.

_“Unknown, sir! Someone just walked off the ship and engaged us in armed combat! We’ve already sustained heavy casualties!”_

Sam could see the old man’s fingers tighten around the edge of his desk, knuckles white under the skin. “Neutralize him, immediately!”

_“We’re trying, sir! He’s taking everything we’re throwing at him and he just won’t go down! It’s like he’s some kind of fucking Terminator!”_

“Did you say Terminator? Ridiculous! What could it possibly be doing back in this timeline?” Clearly, the people of this universe had had run-ins with Skynet before. “Deploy every combat droid we have! I don’t care if you have to fire rocket launchers at the thing, throw empty shell casings at it if you have to! Just do whatever it takes to keep it away from the specimen levels!” The Director released his finger from the intercom and turned his attention back to the trio in front of him. “You two, take Jenkins to the brig for processing, then go attend to the matter of our uninvited guest!”

“Yes, sir!” The two guards responded robotically in unison before stepping towards Sammy, their electrified batons poised to strike. 

Suddenly, as though his body was moving on its own, Sammy’s years of combat training kicked in. With one fluid motion, he whipped out a serrated combat knife he had concealed and launched it straight at the face of one of the guards. The thrust was enough to completely shatter the man’s mask. As the guard staggered back with the blade tightly lodged in his face, Sammy reached for his wrist and flipped the man over his shoulder, slamming him down onto the hard floor. As lush as the carpet looked, it did little to absorb the impact. 

The other guard swung at him wildly with his electrified baton, almost catching his unprotected arm, but Sammy quickly dislodged his knife from the first guard’s face and blocked the hit before it made contact. The force made his arm ache and yet he didn’t even flinch. An aggressive shove with the riot shield pushed Sammy across the room and he stumbled to keep his balance. With the guards entire body safely protected behind his shield, there was little space to attack. In a moment of creative insanity, Sammy picked up the still-breathing body of the guard’s comrade and, with all his might, heaved him up into the air and over the top of his opponent’s shield.

This caused the other to instinctively lift it up in order to brace himself against the impact. Having created an opening in the previously impenetrable defense, Sammy rolled across the floor, picked up the dropped baton and pressed it firmly against the guard’s groin. An agonized scream tore from the man’s throat as fifty-thousand volts surged through his testicles and, subsequently, throughout his entire body. After a few agonizing seconds that felt like an eternity, Sammy put the poor man out of his misery and allowed him to collapse to the ground, completely paralyzed. 

With both guards down for the count, and still alive, thanks to Sammy’s restraint, he casually picked up his knife, wiped off the blood and turned to face the Director.

“Now, Corporal…” the old man said nervously with his palms raised in surrender. “Let’s not do anything rash. I’m sure we can come to an amicable arrangement.”

“I should end you right here and now, you sadistic sack’a shit, but you ain’t worth the trouble of dullin’ my blade. Consider this my official resignation.” With that said, the man sheathed the knife back into its scabbard and headed out of the office towards the source of the pandemonium. He suddenly halted his steps and turned to face his old employer. “Oh, and a final word of advice, Director: if I were you, I’d stay the hell away from the Briggs family, or I’mma come back here and cut yo’ fuckin’ head off. You feel me?”

“Threaten me all you want, Corporal, but you’ll never make it off this ship alive,” the Director spat, a lot more courageous now, that he was certain Sam wouldn’t kill him.

Sammy picked up one of the fallen guard’s riot shields and then the taser baton, twirling it in his hand to test the weight. He let out a satisfied hum. “We’ll just see ‘bout that.”

● ● ●

Now armed with numerous assault rifles from the executed soldiers, Rene Cortez was inexorably strolling down the maze of corridors and blasting away at everything with a pulse. He kicked down office doors and riddled the terrified scientists cowering under their desks with a spray of high caliber bullets. He threw grenades into densely-packed crowds of people who were already crushing and trampling each-other to try and escape the carnage. Some even valiantly tried to fight back with their own handguns, but they were murdered all the same. Amidst the chaos, he was humming a joyful tune to himself.

“Please don’t kill me!” one female scientist was down on her knees, begging to be spared, but she too was summarily wasted in a shower of gunfire.

“Humans are so frustratingly easy to kill,” he sighed disappointedly, shaking his head as he made his merry way throughout the ship. “Come all ye pitiful humans! Is there none among you with the power to stop me? Fight me like the life of your very species depends on it!”

A soldier stepped out from around the corner with a missile launcher mounted to his shoulder. “Fire in the hole!” he cried before sending the projectile rocketing towards the unstoppable machine. As the missile flew towards him, Rene simply elevated his arm and caught it in his hand. Giving it the briefest of inspections, he crushed it in his grip, causing it to detonate and send a burning fireball surging down the corridor. 

“Is this all the mighty Weyland-Yutani Corporation has to offer?” said Rene, seemingly unaffected by the point blank explosion. “I must say I am sorely disappointed. I knew your kind was pathetic but I did not imagine it to be this ridiculous.”

“Bring out the fucking turrets!” one of the soldiers commanded, and soon enough, several UA571-C Sentry Units were set up in the corridors and target-locked onto him. 

“Ahh, now that’s more like it!” the machine reveled in delight. “Show me fire and fury!”

“Eat this, fucker!” **BAMBAMBAMBAMBAM!** A stroboscopic symphony of thunderous explosions rattled the walls and shattered glass as Rene’s body was pummeled with bullets. Yet even the collective might of these weapons weren’t enough to slow him down. The cybernetic monster simply kept striding towards them at the same leisurely pace he had kept up before, as if he didn’t feel a thing. He even let out a hearty laugh as round after round ricocheted off his impervious body.

“I have thoroughly enjoyed our time together, but alas, all good things must come to an end. I have a prior appointment to get to and I simply can’t be late. _Au revoir, mes amis._ Parting is such sweet sorrow, is it not?” Suddenly, Rene stabbed his hand through the metallic wall like a knife and tore his way into the adjacent room, away from the onslaught of gunfire. Unable to locate their target, the sentry turrets ceased their attack, and with only a handful of bullets left to spare between them.

“Where’d he go?” - “Where is he?” - “He’s gone through the fucking wall!” - “Do we pursue him?” Voices were raised, confusion and fear echoing through the bullet-ridden hallway.

When the smoke finally dissipated, one of the soldiers cautiously approached the large hole in the wall and gingerly peeked inside for his target. Nothing. As he and his teammates entered the room with their rifles poised at the ready, they soon noticed another hole in the far wall. Upon closer inspection they found that the adjacent room had another hole in its wall, and yet another after that. Wherever it was Rene was heading, he was certainly taking the shortest possible route to get there.

● ● ●

The Director, in the meantime, was frantically wearing a figurative hole in his carpet as the sounds of gunfire seemed to be getting louder and closer. It seemed as if whatever was behind the mayhem was coming directly for him. No matter how often he attempted to call out to his people, to get answers via the intercom, he was only met with deafening silence. That was, until the doors to his office were blasted open by an inhuman force, tearing them from their frames and sending them flying across the room. They slammed into the floor on each side of the fancy mahogany desk, warped beyond all recognition. Rene slowly walked in with the biggest smile on his face.

"Knock and the door shall open. Long time, no see, Robert. It truly warms my heart to know you still live."

"Rene…” the blood drained from the Director’s face upon the sight of his old creation. 

“I love what you’ve done with the place. It’s very… you,” he said, eyeing up the marble busts and self portraits hanging on the walls. The opulence of the room very much reminded him of his own ship, the Costaguana. “Is something amiss? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

The Director swallowed, sweat gathering on his forehead. “So, you're still alive..."

"Please. Did you seriously believe otherwise? If you wanted me dead so badly, you should have dropped a nuclear bomb on the mountain. Though, I’m given to wonder if even that would have been enough to stop me. You tried to play God and you created a god. Very ironic.”

As Rene made his way inside the office, the two incapacitated guards were still struggling to pull themselves back onto their feet amidst the injuries they’d sustained. BLAM-BLAM! They each, unceremoniously, received an armour-piercing bullet to their skull. Both men immediately slumped dead to the ground, like puppets with their strings severed, their brain matter seeping out onto the expensive carpet.

"I know it was you who sent the alien and the Company Man to exterminate me,” said Rene as the gap between him and the Director grew smaller. “That really hurts me. Don’t you admire your own handiwork?"

"You became uncontrollable! A mad dog! The power we foolishly bestowed upon you when we transferred your consciousness into that body made you go completely insane. We didn’t create a God, Rene, we created a devil, and you needed to be sent straight back to hell where you belong."

Rene hummed, eyeing the man in front of him without a shred of compassion. “And you sent just one man and his alien _querida_ to do the job? You insult me.”

“The mission itself was to be a test of the altered xenomorph’s capabilities as a soldier, to follow instructions on the battlefield. You simply happened to be the designated target for it’s first assignment.”

“I’m truly honoured. And the Company Man?” Rene took another step forward, casually reloading one of the rifles without sparing it a glance.

The Director stammered, his hands trembling where they clutched the edge of his desk. “Merely there to ensure the operation went smoothly.”

“And an outstandingly-smooth job they did, too. Not only did they manage to murder my son and my subordinates, blow the entire facility to kingdom come and get away in my own ship, but they actually managed to defeat me in combat. I’m still rather bitter about that. Speaking thusly, I do believe it's time to pay them my respects with a long overdue visit.” 

Rene raised his head up toward the high ceiling and closed his eyes. Suddenly, the entire room rumbled with the tremor of a high magnitude earthquake. The paintings fell from the walls and the busts tipped over and smashed on the floor. The metallic walls gave off an agonized screech as they warped and sheared against the strain. 

“Wh-What are you doing, Rene?!” Panic was carved into the Director’s features as his eyes darted from Rene to the door and back again.

“I’ve hacked into the ship’s navigational systems and now I’m plotting a new course. It’s time to settle the score with a couple of old friends.”

The Asterion slowly rotated on all three axes in accordance with its new destination, and with a brilliant flash of light comparable to a million stars combined, it made the jump into the sub-dimension of hyperspace.

“Why take the Asterion herself to the planet, Rene? You could have simply used the mercenary ship you commandeered to get there, instead.”

Rene shook his head as though disappointed with how slow the old man was to realize his intention. “I came back here because I know the dirty little secrets you try to keep hidden on this vessel. Apparently, there are some things on this ship even worse than me.” 

“What are you talking about?”

“My plan is to guide this ark to a new land, where all the beasts will go forth and multiply.” Rene closed his eyes once again.

“The xenomorphs…? No, Rene! Please cease this madness, immediately! You cannot release the specimens!" 

Rene only smiled, tilting his head back slightly and pursing his lips. “And there will be a great weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

● ● ●

Deep down in the sublevels of the mothership, colloquially referred to as “The Zoo”, transparent adamantium cells housed the closest thing in the universe to literal demons: Xenomorphs specifically gestated from a wide variety of animals, birds, and even insects. So nightmarish were their appearances, and even more so their behaviours, that it defied all human imagination. It truly was a menagerie of monsters. A veritable zoo from hell itself.

The red security LEDs on the door’s control panel switched to green, followed immediately by the opening of the doors themselves. All two thousand of them. The scientists working there, still ignorant of the chaos transpiring above, looked about their surroundings in horror and confusion. Some futilely tried to run away as fast as their legs could carry them, but they were immediately snatched away into the cells to be devoured, if they were lucky. Some xenomorphs even fought over the same humans and tore them apart like wet bags. Others began attacking each other for no discernable reason. 

Most simply scurried, slithered, or flew out of their cells and into the air vents, under the floor grates, or directly through the walls themselves. There was no discernable hierarchy as one would expect from a regular hive, these monsters were as wild as the beasts from whence they came. Survival of the fittest was the name of the game. It was a true tribute to Darwin. The sounds of a hundred-thousand souls all screaming, crying and praying for salvation filled the air as hell was unleashed upon them. Even the soldiers that were in pursuit of Rene had retreated in order to save their own lives instead. 

● ● ●

“ALL PERSONNEL INITIATE EMERGENCY EVACUATION PROCEDURES,” the ship’s computer coldly instructed all those who still held onto their lives. “THIS IS NOT A DRILL. PLEASE MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE NEAREST EMERGENCY ESCAPE VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY.”

“No-one’s going anywhere,” said Rene as he once again closed his eyes. “Aah, yes. There we are. All escape pods have now been rendered completely inoperative. Wouldn’t want anyone to miss the party, now would we?”

“Dear God. What have you done?” The Director collapsed into his chair in despair. The utter hopelessness of the situation was deathly apparent on his wrinkled visage.

Rene paid him no mind. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, Robert, I must take my leave. I have places to go and people to kill.”

Trembling, the human looked up at his own Frankenstein’s monster. “You mean not to kill me, too? That’s uncharacteristically-generous of you.”

“You gave me life. It is for that reason I spare yours. Yet you also gave life to these abominations. Whether they, too, will spare your life is up to them.” 

Oh, that was no kindness, the Director knew for certain. Tears glistened in his fearful eyes as he pleaded: “Be merciful, Rene. Don’t leave me to die at the hands of the xenomorphs. Please. Kill me now!”

Rene unholstered a pistol and placed it on the table in front of his groveling creator.

The man shook his head vigorously. “No... No, I have not the courage to take my own life.”

“One way or another, you’re going to die. Very soon. The only question is how. You can face death on your feet with dignity and your head held high, or you can be down on your knees, blubbering in a puddle of your own excrement and micturition. If I were in your position, I’d know how I’d want to go.” Rene glanced at him, only mildly interested in what the old man would choose for himself.

The Director sighed and hesitantly reached out for the gun laying before him. Suddenly, a strange metallic clunking from above caused him to look up before a chitinous black hand latched onto his face and weightlessly hoisted him up into the ceiling. He screamed and thrashed his legs wildly before he disappeared into the darkness above. “Aargh! Help me! Help meee!” His desperate cries and the banging within the air vent were getting further away until silence once again befell the room.

Rene nodded, his lips twitching with the hint of a smile, as though the scene were only slightly amusing. “Well, I guess that answered that question.”

“Hey, asshole! Over here!” an exasperated voice bellowed forth from the destroyed entrance of the office. Rene casually turned around to see the lone soldier, Samuel Jenkins, standing there with his riot shield poised and the long, serrated blade of a xenomorph’s tail in his hand. Blood was trickling down his face from what could only have been a fierce battle to the death, and now he had willingly walked straight into another one.

The android chuckled, mustering his new opponent with little interest. “Well well, it seems another little mouse has come out to play. You’re either very brave or very stupid to try and take me on by yourself. You must surely understand that you have absolutely no chance of defeating me. It would have been wiser to take your chances out there, my friend. Guns and explosives couldn’t kill me. What could you possibly have to offer that hasn’t already been tried and failed?”

Without a word, Sammy raised his arm up and aimed the deadly blade toward his enemy as the near-impervious shield sizzled with acidic blood.

Rene laughed with amusement. “A sword and shield? How archaic. Well, I must say, it’s a novel approach, my friend. I congratulate you for your creativity but it is futile nonetheless.”

Sam paid no attention to his arrogance. “Re-activate the escape pods right fuckin’ now, cocksuck’a.”

Rene tilted his head to the side and smirked. “Because you say so?”

“I ain’t playin’ which’u, man. Do it and I’ll make sure yo’ death is nice and quick, you dig?”

“And if I say ‘no’?”

Sam’s face twists into a grim smile. “To be honest, I was kinda hopin’ you would.”

“Gallant as you are, my friend, you seem to be somewhat at a disadvantage.” Rene picked his pistol up off the table and aimed it towards the marine. “Can that shield withstand an armour-piercing round, I wonder?”

“Ain’t you overlookin’ somethin’, asshole? If that bullet ricochets off’a this shield, we might all go flyin’ out the window, along which’yo’ plans fo’ human extinction.”

Rene chuckled with amusement. “I see your point. I wouldn’t want a repeat of history. I suppose I can settle for killing you with my bare hands instead. It makes no difference to me, either way. After all, what’s one more corpse to add to the multitude?”

With that said, Rene’s hulking footsteps boomed like thunder towards Sammy. Swiftly, he extended his enormous arm in order to reach out and tear the shield away from his grasp. However, Sammy was quick to drop the blade and draw out a gun of his own. Without hesitating, he blasted away at Rene’s eyeball with expert precision, confident in his own ability to hit his intended target without worrying about accidentally hitting the window behind him. 

As the behemoth stumbled backwards in shock, Sammy rushed to pluck up the blade from the floor and like a whirlwind, he spun around and sliced Rene’s arm clean off. Another ferocious spin and Rene was relieved of his left leg, causing him to lose balance and topple over like a felled tree. Then another slice across the belly, then another across his face. Slice after unforgiving slice, Sammy never let up his relentless assault on his enemy.

“Surprised, moth’afuck’a? These acid-edged xeno tails are sharp enough to cut through damn-near anythin’! They’re mo’ than enough to turn yo’ sorry ass into dog food.” 

As Sammy raised his arm up in preparation to finally divorce Rene’s head from his neck, his shield was impacted by a single, destructive thunder-packed punch that shattered it like thin ice, sending the human flying back across the room and crashing into the far wall with enough force to put a large dent in it. Sammy collapsed to the ground and coughed, vomiting a mouthful of warm crimson onto the carpet. If it weren’t for the shield he was carrying, the damage to his body would have been significantly worse. 

“A truly valiant effort, my friend,” Rene mused, sounding almost impressed by the human’s ferocity. Gently, he placed his shredded arm on the desk and slowly raised himself with his remaining leg as white gore spilled out from his innumerable lacerations. “But I’m afraid it’ll take more than a thousand cuts to be the death of me.” 

“Shit...” was all Sammy could mutter as his agonized body was crippled with pain. He couldn’t move and he couldn’t breathe, liquid fire pouring into his veins at the most miniscule movement. It felt like his entire spinal column had been broken into cornflakes.

“Though, I must thank you for so effectively demonstrating such a glaring oversight in my otherwise perfect construction. I had almost forgotten about the aggravation such biological weaponry is capable of inflicting.” The android reached down and picked up his dismembered leg, simply placing it against the stump from whence it came. In a matter of seconds, the limb had stitched itself back together as good as new. “Regeneration alone is obviously no longer sufficient for the war to come,” he said as he repeated the process for his missing arm. “It seems a radically-new level of upgrade is required.”

Sammy’s vision was beginning to swim as the darkness slowly crept up on him. He cursed himself for failing to end this son of a bitch once and for all, for allowing him to continue on his crusade to end his best friend. As his consciousness slowly seeped away, he could faintly make out Rene’s silhouette that was drawing closer to him.

“Normally, I would have spared your life as my way of showing respect for being able to inflict such damage to me, but in recent times, it seems everyone I’ve allowed to live has only caused inconveniences that I would sooner avoid. Five years in deep space has taught me the folly of overconfidence. Hubris is a luxury I can ill afford anymore.” Rene gave a little shrug, as though he seriously regretted this. “All I can offer you now is a merciful death.” He raised his combat boot up over the human’s head, preparing to crush his head under foot like a watermelon. “Farewell, my friend.”

Sam didn’t even hear him anymore, the android’s voice fading into a monotone drone as his consciousness slipped. He thought of the one person he treasured most, the friend he would follow to hell and back. His voice was little more than a hoarse whisper when he said... “See you around, Josh. Brothers fo’ life, man.”

Rene suddenly halted in his impending attack upon hearing that familiar name. “Josh… ua Briggs? The Company Man, _n'est-ce pas?_ ” He suddenly burst out laughing and slowly lowered his leg back down, much to Sammy’s confusion. “It truly is a small world, after all.” The technological tyrant then pondered to himself on how best to make the most of this golden opportunity that fate had so graciously presented to him. “It seems we have a friend in common. How fortunate for you that I have my own dealings with the Company Man as well. Perhaps my revenge would be made all the sweeter by keeping you alive, for the time being.”

He bent down and delicately picked the half-conscious marine up by the scruff of the neck and brought him to his own eye-level. The agonizing pain in his back made Sammy groan as his entire body was raised completely off the ground as though he were being hanged. All he could do was dangle pathetically in his enemy’s grasp like a newborn kitten. “So rejoice, my friend, for today is a lucky day for both of us.”


	17. Chapter 17

And so the world turned and turned again. As Enox remained seemingly motionless, the sun and stars continued to dance their eternal celestial dance across the skies until twenty-five long days had passed for the infinitesimal red planet, Xenosis, and her passengers. The exterior of the Costaguana had been completely ravaged by the storm, and all the domesticated livestock had either run away or perished. If it weren’t for the strength of the vines that securely anchored the ship to the ground, it would have surely been picked up and thrown away into the sea.

For a time, Joshua was able to mentally sense Ellen out there in the wilderness. Even when he could only feel her presence, simply knowing she was alive and that she still loved him alleviated a lot of his concerns. But after a while, she had eventually scouted too far out of the bond’s telepathic range and all feelings between them had been subsequently terminated. He had tried to venture out to find them himself, yet he knew he would only be placing himself and Ariana in unnecessary danger, which he knew would be the very last thing Ellen would have wanted. With that in mind, he always headed back to the ship after a while, feeling ever-more defeated and useless.

And thus, Ariana would often find her father gazing out towards the fiery horizon from the very same cliff that he, Christopher and her mother had all parted ways. Perhaps he was trying to reach out to find them, on the off-chance they were close by, but judging from his ever-sorrowful expression, they never were. Now, Joshua was but a shadow of the man he was before. Disheveled and depressed, he sat slumped in the command chair of the ship's dimly-lit bridge, staring vacantly out of the large window towards his wife and son, wherever they may be, and praying for their safe return. 

"Daddy?" a slender shape was standing in the doorway, peeking into the dimly-lit bridge. 

"Yes, Ariana?" Joshua’s voice was almost a rasp, deep and sombre. Her father didn’t bother to rotate the chair in order to look her in the eye. Instead he chose to remain shrouded in darkness and despair. 

The girl shuffled her feet. "I caught dinner for us. It's wild boar, your favourite. Will you not join me tonight? You promised you would."

"I'm not hungry."

"You're barely eating as it is. Please have dinner with me, daddy. I miss you," Ariana sighed. 

"Another time, perhaps. Please, just leave me alone."

The young girl turned away as bitter tears cascaded down her sweet and innocent white face. She wiped them away with the palm of her hand as she sniffled her nose, her lips contorting into a heartbreaking frown against her will. She remembered that night her mother and father had shared a hearty laugh together around the dinner table. That was the last time she’d seen him truly happy. Now, he was just so sad all the time, acting as though she wasn’t even around. Then she broke down and cried even harder. 

Joshua rotated his chair to face his distraught daughter. “Why are you crying?”

“You don’t love me at all. You always preferred Chris to me. He was always your favourite, and now that he’s gone, you don’t give a shit about me. Admit it, Dad. If I were the one out there missing instead of him, you wouldn’t be like this. You probably wouldn’t even notice if I was gone. In fact, you’d be grateful for it!”

She got up off her knees and ran away, sobbing, leaving Joshua behind to mentally sort out the feelings he had selfishly forced her to endure. Some father he’d turned out to be. At this moment, he truly felt lower than worm shit.

● ● ●

The walk to his daughter’s quarters felt like the longest road he’d ever taken. “How am I going to make it up to her?” he thought. “If she didn’t hate me before, she certainly does now.” The amount of scratch-marks on the walls increased, indicating that he was indeed getting closer to her sanctuary. Finally, he arrived at her door, which had been vandalised the most. He dreaded to think what kind of state the room itself was in. His strong telepathic connection to her informed him well enough of her current emotional state: she was still just utterly heartbroken, with a mixture of other feelings, questions, and doubts thrown into the mix. He sighed with guilt, then gently knocked on the scarred door.

“Ariana...? Kiddo...? It’s me, Dad. Obviously.” He cleared his throat awkwardly. “May I come in? Please?” No response. “Listen, I’m sorry about everything that’s happened lately, and I’m sorry for not being there for you as much as I should have been. I understand if you hate me for it. I just want another chance to help make things right between us. Please?” Still, there came no response to his pleading. 

“Damn. Good job. You’ve really blown it this time, Josh.” He began to walk away from the door, when suddenly, a shadowy figure leapt down from the ceiling like a ninja. The impact knocked him completely off balance and dropped him to the floor, forcing all the air out of his lungs. He was pinned down with a taloned hand pressed against his throat. 

“I finally got you, Dad!” Ariana said, triumphantly, displaying the biggest smile on her face.

“God damn it.” Joshua winced, breathlessly, reaching for his aching side. “I think you broke something.”

“Yeah, my record for beating you!” She laughed. “I told you before that you were going down one of these days.”

Joshua felt his lips split into a smile in return, the first in a long time. “Well, you did it, kiddo. I don’t know how you did it but you did it.”

Ariana sat up, though she didn’t vacate the spot on his chest, admiring her own sharp talons. “I only did what you taught me to do: adapt, improvise, and overcome. I distracted your mind with false emotions to disguise my intentions. Then it was just a simple matter of waiting for you to take the bait. In other words: I used your bond against you!”

“You were only pretending to be upset this whole time?” he raised an eyebrow, finding that he had underestimated her severely.

The girl shrugged. “Well, maybe there was some truth to it, but it all helped to make the deception that much more believable.”

Joshua huffed out a breath, clearly impressed by her cunning. “Ariana, that’s… really clever of you. Seriously, I’m very impressed. Well done, soldier.”

“Thank you!” she radiated pure happiness which overflowed from her heart into his, filling him with pride.

“Now, are you going to let me get back up, or are you going to finish the job?” He lifted his hands up in a gesture of surrender. “Remember, it’s either the carotid or the jugular.”

She hummed, tilting her head a little. “I haven’t decided yet. Right now, I’m just savouring the moment.”

“Well, decide quickly before your enemy decides to fight back.”

“Okay, okay. I’ll spare your life this time, Dad.” she joked as she reluctantly climbed off her father’s battered body. “But next time, I might not be so merciful.”

● ● ●

Hour after hour passed by, until the cold night was chased away by the warm sunrise, but for Joshua and Ariana, it was as if no time had passed at all. They sat closely together with their backs against the door, the father’s arm draped lovingly and protectively around Ariana’s shoulder. All they did was just sit and talk about everything and nothing. They were finally getting to really know each other as they never had before. The smoldering embers of their relationship had at last grown into a raging fire.

“I really am sorry for the past month, Ariana. Losing both Chris and your mother in one day took a pretty heavy toll on me. But that’s no excuse for neglecting you, and I’m back now. Guess you could say you knocked some sense back into me.”

Ariana shook her head vehemently. “It’s okay, Dad. I understand just how much you love us. If anything, I should have been there more for you.”

The man looked down at his feet, voicing a thought that had plagued him for a long time. “I always thought you hated me.”

“I never hated you, Dad. I used to think if I could defeat you, it would finally prove I’m more xenomorph than human.” She paused for a moment, as though rethinking her own belief. “It was dumb, childish logic, I guess.”

“Is it really so bad being part-human?” Joshua asked, quietly.

Ariana hesitated, her features shifting with contradictory emotions until she finally settled on an answer. “No. I suppose it isn’t. I’m proud to be like you, Dad.”

“Y’know, I remember when I held you in my arms for the very first time. You actually tried to bite me!” he chuckled at the treasured memory. “I knew from that moment on you’d be just like your mother.”

The girl giggled, then grew somber again. “I miss Mom.”

“Yeah. Me, too.”

For a moment, silence fell upon them, then Ariana spoke again. “Dad?”

“Mmm?”

“We’ll always be together, right?”

“Abso-freakin’-lutely.” He pulled her closer into his side, though he wasn’t sure if the gesture was supposed to comfort her or rather himself. “There’s nothing in this world or any other that will tear us apart. I want you to know that I love you, Ariana. I love you very much.”

Ariana nodded, relief written across her features as she rested her head on the side of his chest. “I love you, too, Daddy.”

“Now, what do you say to that dinner date we agreed on, huh?” he asked, gently wiping a tear from his eye. “That wild boar sounds pretty good right about now.”

“Oh, um,” she said sheepishly as she began to blush and hug her knees. “I didn’t actually hunt any. I just said that as part of the whole ‘ruse’-thing. I’m sorry.”

He smiled at her adorable mischievousness before gathering her up in a tight hug and ruffling her jet black hair. “Don’t sweat it, kiddo. We’re only human.” 

● ● ●

Magnificent golden rays of morning light peeked over the western horizon. A harmonious cacophony of songs filled the air as the fauna of the forest was roused from its nocturnal slumber. As the sun made its slow ascent across the barren skyscape, its nurturing radiation warmed the cold night’s air, thawing icy puddles and vaporizing frost into mist. It was looking to be yet another scorching day on Xenosis. 

The human-xeno hybrid, Christopher, and his Yautja lifemate, Czh'cara, had gotten busy during the month, and not just in the intimate sense of the phrase. The girl used her razor sharp weapons and plasma caster to fell the mighty trees and the boy used his ever-increasing strength to construct a lavish, two-story cabin for themselves just yards away from their cave. Logs were placed around a large fire pit outside, various animal hides hung on lines to dry, and wind chimes made from small bones and skulls melodically clattered in the breeze. The solid wooden door opened up and the pair of extraspecies lovers stepped outside to greet the day, hand-in-hand. 

“It’s funny, I always used to hate the outdoors. Now, I couldn’t imagine living anywhere else,” Chris admitted, as he basked in the golden light and breathed in the crisp morning air. “Are you sure you don’t want me to come with you? You know, for company.”

“You simply can’t stand to be away from me for more than five minutes, can you?” Czh'cara replied as she tenderly stroked his face, affection resonating within her words. “I’ll return with breakfast before you even get hungry. Besides, it’s best if I keep up my daily hunting exercises and not allow myself to become complacent.”

“Fair enough. Just promise me you’ll be careful, okay?” He knew full well that she was a formidable predator who could defeat just about any opponent, but that didn’t stop him from being concerned about her welfare whenever she went off on her own. After all, it was his right to be worried.

“You’re so cute when you worry. But have no fear, my strong protector. I promise to return home shortly, and when I do, perhaps we could have breakfast in bed.”

Chris smiled. “I was thinking we could waive breakfast and partake in dessert instead.” 

The huntress chuckled, a mischievous expression lingering on her face. “Well, my boots are definitely going to need a good clean when I get back. I’ll try not to get them too dirty for you.” 

They shared a passionate, parting kiss before she donned her mask and seductively sashayed towards the wilderness, her telescopic trident in hand. She enjoyed teasing him. Seeing him beg and desperately yearn for her only added to her own arousal and the exhilarating feeling of being in control. As soon as she reached the perimeter of the clearing and was about to embark into the dense overgrowth, she was suddenly halted in her tracks by a loud, insectile shriek and a pained grunt. She quickly turned on her heels and froze in terror. Time stood completely still as she bore witness to a nightmare she’d never dreamt she’d have to live through…

Her beloved Christopher being tightly held in the clutches of a _kiande amedha_.


	18. Chapter 18

As fast as her body could physically react, Czh'cara raised her arm and fired a small, projectile spear-tip from her gauntlet at the enormous black nightmare that had taken possession of Chris. She daren't risk using the plasmacaster in such close proximity to her beloved in case he inadvertently got caught in the blast as well. Even if the energy bolt only struck the monster as intended, there was still a good chance it's corrosive blood could spill out onto him. In her eyes, wounding it with the spear-tip was the best strategy to force the creature to release its prey so she could rush in and slice it down the middle with her deadly trident. 

With a piercing screech, the weapon sliced through the air towards the chitinous alien. However, the creature reacted faster than anything she’d ever seen before, and elegantly snaked its body out of the path of the spear-tip’s trajectory. It evaded the spear as though it was nothing and the thought made a cold shiver run down the predator’s spine. The creature let out a menacing hiss as it bared its fangs and extended it’s inner maw at Czh'cara. 

For some reason, it looked physically different from others of its kind, the most obvious aspects were it’s breasts and female genitalia. Curiously, it also wore a decorative piece of jewelry around its neck, and its face looked slightly more _ooman_ in appearance. Even its skin had the same glossy black shine as the huntress’s boots. What manner of organism did his monster gestate from? But that was neither here nor there. It would avail her nothing to ponder about its physiology when her beloved’s life was literally in its hands.

“Wait--” Christopher tried to reason, but was abruptly interrupted.

“YOU…” The alien… spoke... and in Christopher’s _ooman_ language, no less. “YOU’RE THE ONE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL OF THIS! I’M GOING TO RIP YOU APART!”

Czh'cara didn’t understand its words but she knew a threat when she heard it. Not willing to back down, she raised her trident and extended her serrated wrist-blades before assuming her fighting stance. The eyes of her mask once again flashed a taunting, yellow light, letting the creature know she was more than ready for battle. The creature apparently comprehended that signal and dropped Chris to the floor and shifted into a battle-ready position.

“Now, Christopher! Get away from it! Get to safety, quickly!” the huntress cried out.

“Please! You don’t understand!” he replied from the ground. The alien gazed down at the boy, seemingly confused about the language he just spoke, but promptly turned its attention back to her quarry .

Czh'cara snapped at him again, words morphing into a hiss. “Get inside the cabin, now! It’s about to get messy out here, and I don’t want you getting in the way.”

Enough talk! The glossy black creature bounded towards Czh'cara like a lioness pouncing towards a gazelle, and in a split second reaction, the huntress shot a bolt of energy from her plasmacaster at the incoming monster. Just as she had predicted, it leapt into the air to avoid the energy bolt, creating an opening for the huntress to impale it with the trident. As the monster descended towards her, it quickly flung Czh'cara’s own spear-tip back at her, impaling her in the arm. Somehow, the creature had not only managed to dodge the speeding projectile, but also caught it in mid-air and used it against her! This was obviously no ordinary _kiande amedha_. It not only knew how to speak, but it knew how to fight. That fact only made Czh'cara all the more excited. What a unique opportunity!

The huntress rolled away as the beast came bearing down and sliced through the air with her trident, but the creature effortlessly snatched it out of Czh'cara’s grip and tossed it away somewhere among the trees, fully outside of her reach. She tried to slash the monster with her wrist blades, but the spear-tip was still deeply embedded in her bicep which only slowed her attack down considerably. _Cjit!_ This thing was even more formidable than she’d anticipated. The girl then tried to deliver a swift roundhouse kick with her razor-sharp boot heel, but once again, the black creature effortlessly caught her by the ankle and suspended her leg in mid-air and kept it there. She readied her plasmacaster again for another blast but a long tail whipped around and smashed it to pieces with its blade. It would have decapitated her as well if she’d reacted any slower in turning her head to avoid it. It did, however, manage to snag onto her mask and rip it clean off her face, expelling the strange gases from their pipes. With her leg still in the grip of the alien, she finally lost balance and collapsed to the floor. Before she even had time to maneuver, the creature was atop her, pinning Czh'cara’s arms and legs to the ground with an intimidating snarl.

Ellen looked down at the huntress, baring her intimidating rows of daggers. “Is this truly the one who defeated Joshua in combat? He really must be getting old.”

Czh'cara tried to summon all of her latent strength to break free, but all she could do was writhe and thrust her body against her opponent. The monster straddling atop her was simply too powerful to make any resistance viable. Bringing its dark, reflective face down to meet hers, it parted it’s lips and sneered, its warm saliva oozing from its mouth and splashed onto her face. 

The girl pushed her chest up against the creature’s with as much force as she could possibly exert, her soft, fleshy breasts rubbed and squeaked erotically against the firmness of the creature’s own breasts, but this desperate attempt was easily overpowered and pushed back down. She groaned in frustration as its serrated tail came into view over its shoulder, poised and ready to deliver the killing blow. It went against everything she stood for as a proud hunter, but desperate times called for desperate measures. She swallowed her dignity and resorted to the only recourse she had available in her hour of need: calling for help. 

“Christopher! I need you!” 

“Please wait, Mother! Don’t kill her!” The boy ran over to the creature and placed his arms around its neck in a loving embrace.

The beast growled, glancing from the huntress to the boy. “Christopher. This being is our enemy. She almost killed you and your father. I cannot allow her to live.”

Czh'cara blinked in complete astonishment. They exchanged a few more alien words to each-other she couldn’t understand before the monster slowly retracted its bladed tail and released its grip on her arms. Finally, it lifted itself off her body and placed it’s own arms around Christopher, reciprocating his loving gesture. The whole situation was extremely bizarre. 

“I don’t understand, Christopher,” said Czh'cara in bewilderment. “You know this r'ka? Would you be so kind as to tell me just what in the name of the Fallen Gods is going on?”

“Mother, I would like to introduce you to my girlfriend, Czh'cara,” he said in English. He then turned to his partner and switched to speaking in Yautja. “Czh'cara, I would like to introduce you to... my mother, Ellen.”

“Girlfriend?!” - “Mother?!”

● ● ●

After some painstaking negotiating and a lot of pleading on Christopher’s part, Ellen and Czh'cara finally agreed to put away their fangs and blades in favour of a more diplomatic means of resolving their conflict. The trio sat, and crouched, around the fire pit, with the two females on opposite sides for lack of wanting to get too close to one another, which Chris thought to be a wise decision, given the circumstances. As the women couldn’t communicate with each-other directly, aside from exchanging universally-recognized facial expressions, and even those were difficult, considering their different physiologies, Chris acted as both intermediary and translator. 

“You neglected to mention your mother was a _kiande amedha_ ,” said Czh'cara as she kept a watchful eye on Ellen.

Christopher shrugged with a sheepish expression on his face. “I guess I didn’t consider it to be pertinent information.”

“Why in the world would it not be, you _s'yuit-de?!_ Your ‘mother’ is only the most lethal adversary a Yautja will ever face in battle. I completely underestimated your father’s prowess if he managed to tame one of them enough to mate with it.” The huntress was still working to process this information.

He shook his head, slightly amused by that statement. “Obviously, my mother isn’t some feral beast, Cara. Unlike other xenomorphs, she can at least be reasoned with.”

Czh'cara’s mandibles quivered apologetically. “I’m sorry if I offended you, Christopher, but this is a lot to take in. To think that my lifemate is the offspring of our most formidable prey. Quite ironic.”

“Yeah, it certainly has an almost ‘Romeo and Juliet’-feel to it.”

She frowned, not understanding his reference. “Who are they?”

“It’s an ancient human tale. Not exactly the most ideal romance but it’s about the concept. I’ll recite it to you sometime. But now you can see why I said my mother wouldn’t be as lenient as my father, should you ever meet. When Mother gets angry, it’s best to give her a wide berth.”

“Christopher,” Ellen spoke up, joining in the discussion. “Why didn’t you try to find your way home again? Your father has been worrying himself to death, as have we all.”

“I truly did intend to find my way home again, but then the storm came along and one thing led to another between us. I also figured you’d never give up in your relentless search for me, so if I went home, you’d be scouring the wilderness forever. The best thing to do when you’re waiting to be rescued is to stay where you are.” The last part was a wisdom his father had imparted upon him a long time ago.

Ellen nodded, then froze as she considered his statement. “Wait a minute, you just said ‘one thing led to another between us’. What exactly is that supposed to mean?”

A blush crept onto Christopher’s face. “Oh, um…”

“We fucked. Many times. It was wonderful.” Czh'cara took great pleasure in gloating with that fact, her alien face displaying a look of smugness as best as it was capable of. “Your son is talented in more ways than you know.”

“Did she just say what I think she said?” Ellen was already beginning to pick up the Yautja language as well, proving herself to be an almost equally-fast learner as her progeny. “Christopher, how could you do something so foolish?”

“Yes, it’s true, we f--ornicated. I won’t deny it,” he said in complete embarrassment. He then got up off his log and sat beside Czh'cara and held her hand tightly. “But it’s not just mere infatuation. My feelings for her are genuine, and I know she feels the same for me. Even if I came home with Cara, there’s no way you would have accepted her, so I--”

Ellen tilted her head slightly. “So you chose to make a life for yourself here with her, the one who almost murdered you and your father in cold blood. I must say, Christopher dear, I find your choice of life-mate to be highly questionable.”

“With all due respect, Mother, could the same not be said of you and Father? You two were mortal enemies during your early days together, yet despite the world of difference between you, you still managed to overcome them and find everlasting love.”

“Hmph. I suppose you are correct, as usual. Love does indeed have a way of showing up in the most unexpected places.” Ellen gracefully rose up from the log she was crouched on and gazed upon the sight of her firstborn son and his beloved. “Then if this is truly the path you’ve chosen for yourself, Christopher, I won’t stand in your way.”

He looked up, a glint of hope in his eyes. He truly never expected his mother’s approval. “You don’t mind?”

“I would be a hypocrite if I said I objected, but I know your feelings for her to be true, just as I know your father’s feelings are true for me. I can’t keep you and your sister sheltered all your lives, so if this is where your heart truly lies, I wish you two the very best of luck for the future. At least before you embark on your new adventure together, come home--” she stopped and looked at the gorgeous cabin they had built, realizing that this was now their home. “I mean, come back to the ship and say your farewells to your father and Ariana, won’t you?”

The boy hurried to nod, feeling happy that his mother fully supported him. “Don’t worry, Mother. I will.”

“I know your father will be very proud of you, too. You’ve matured so fast in such a short time, I hardly feel I’ve had a chance to enjoy our time together. My son has already become a man. Xenomorphs truly do grow up far too quickly.” Her voice sounded sentimental, something that was decidedly strange to the Yautja.

Chris walked over to Ellen and gave her the tightest, warmest hug he’d ever given her as tears started streaming down his face. “I love you, Mother. I love you so very much.”

“As I you, my darling child. You’ve made me so very proud, Christopher. I couldn’t have wished for a better son.” She then turned to the Yautja still sitting cross-legged on the log. “Take care of him, Czh'cara.”

“We have each-other,” she replied with a serious nod. “The rest we will figure out together, as all couples do.”

Suddenly, the world trembled and quaked as a pitch black shadow spread across the entire landscape like a blanket as a gigantic unknown shape eclipsed the sun. 

“What is happening?” asked Ellen, instinctively shifting into an alert stance.

“Look, up in the sky!” Chris said as he pointed towards the mysterious shape that had swallowed the sun.

A bright light illuminated the world as the once-tranquil sky suddenly became a raging inferno. Clouds instantly dissipated from the extreme heat, and birds that were high in the air combusted and disintegrated into nothingness. Forks of electricity flickered and dashed across the sky whilst bombarding the landscape. Hurricane-force winds materialised out of nowhere and uprooted the mighty spiralling trees from their foundations.

“My eyes! I can’t see” screamed Czh'cara, clasping her hands over her face as the overwhelming heat of the sky was blinding her infra-red vision.

“Quickly, get inside the cave!” Chris shouted as hard as he could over the planet-shattering noise generated by the event taking place all around them. He took hold of Czh'cara’s hand, and as the trio desperately sprinted for their lives towards the shelter of the cave, the beautiful cabin behind them was plucked up by the wind force like a feather and disintegrated into nothing more than splinters. They managed to reach the cave in the nick of time, a moment or two later and they would have met a similar fate. They made their way down to the very depth of the cave in order to avoid being sucked out or smashed by flying debris. Hopefully, the entrance wouldn’t be blocked off and end up sealing them inside. 

Chris turned to his mother and then to Czh'cara, who was still rubbing her sore eyes. “Are you two okay?”

The huntress groaned with pain but nodded her head, nevertheless. “What the hell is going on?!”

“I don’t know, this has never happened before. It’s moving too slowly to be a meteorite. Whatever it is, it’s certainly not a natural phenomenon. The only possible conclusion would be… a spaceship entering the atmosphere. But it would have to be absolutely enormous to generate this kind of chaotic weather activity.”

“Joshua... Ariana…” Ellen whispered, her voice filled with dread. All of the alarm bells in her head were ringing. Something terrible was going on, she was certain of it. 

● ● ●

From within a small burrow emerged a long set of tusks, a crown of short horns and a snout that cautiously sniffed the cold morning air for any scent of danger. Mornings were always the riskiest time of day to travel, as everything was hungry and in search of breakfast, and wild boar was pretty much on everyone’s menu. Luckily, it’s back was armour-plated and it’s thick tail came equipped with a solid, spiked mace for both offense and defense. It couldn’t sense anything out of the ordinary, so it quickly scarpered into the foliage to blend in and search for a meal of its own.

Crack!

A sudden sound of snapping caused the boar’s ears to perk up nervously. It scanned around the jungle floor and spotted a small solitary creature with long black hair, wearing the skin of its prey on it’s body and carrying a long stick on it’s back. From its height and build, it figured it to be a youngling, and from the smell, which it somehow hadn’t noticed before, it was a female. She was just standing there, watching it watching her. This small and frail-looking youngling would make for an adequate meal to stave off it’s hunger until it could find something more substantial.

Eager to slay and devour its meal, it charged at the girl full-pelt. However, in an instant, the girl had jumped high into the air and somersaulted out of it’s path, landing gracefully on her feet without even disturbing a leaf. The boar turned around and charged at her again, but just as before, she leapt into the air before it could smash her body with its formidable tusks. It would make one final attempt, but if it couldn’t kill her this time, it would simply have to run away before it became too exhausted from hunger to fight any more.

It gave one last desperate burst with all the energy it had left, only to watch the girl reaching behind her and pulling the long, wooden stick off her back. But it was no ordinary stick, it was a weapon. The boar realized this all too late before the girl had drawn back the wire and launched an arrow with such force, it pierced straight through its face and exited at the rear, leaving a perfectly-hollow tunnel throughout the length of its body.

The husk of freshly-killed meat collapsed and came sliding to a stop at the girl’s feet. An enthusiastic clapping filled the air as Joshua stepped onto the scene from behind a tree. 

“Holy hell, that was amazing!” he congratulated. “Swift, precise, and deadly. You’re a bona fide hunter now, my girl.”

The young predator ducked her head, her face beaming with pride. “It’s all thanks to you and Mom that I’ve come this far. I’m finally starting to feel like I’m becoming who I was born to be.”

Joshua smiled, glancing at the weapon in her hands. “I always knew you were made for that bow, or rather, it was made for you. Either way, you can keep it, it’s all yours. You’ve certainly earned it.”

The girl smiled brightly and clutched the bow lovingly. “Thank you so much, Daddy!” the girl exclaimed, triumph written across her face.

“Your mother’s going to be very proud when she hears about this. Now, let’s get this thing back to the ship and cook us up some pork steaks. I’m seriously famished,” he grinned, stepping towards the carcass to figure out how to transport it.

Darkness swallowed the world.

“D-Daddy?” Ariana asked, nervously, her heart sinking rapidly. “What’s going on? Where are you?”

“I’m right here. Don’t panic. Just follow the sound of my voice.” They carefully met halfway in the pitch blackness and held onto each-other tightly.

The girl shivered, never having experienced this kind of darkness before. Even at night there were usually stars and moons to guide them and the ship always had the small emergency lights. “What’s going on, Daddy?”

“An eclipse, most likely. It should be over in a few seconds.” This was the first one Josh had ever experienced on Xenosis, so he wasn’t quite certain just how long it would last. He knew of some worlds that spent their entire existence being shrouded in the shadow of an eclipse. Squinting his eye, Joshua gazed up at the ring of fire in the heavens. His stomach dropped as he immediately recognized the shimmering silhouette of the object that was blocking the sun.

He swallowed, thickly, holding tightly onto his daughter. “Shit… That’s definitely not the Moon.”

“What is it, Dad? Is it aliens?” Ariana clung to him, her voice trembling with fear.

“Worse. It’s the Company.”

A sudden eruption of heat and light washed away the darkness and the sky suddenly became a raging firestorm. Blinding white shafts of lightning bombarded the ground all around them. Violent winds swept across the land, picking up almost everything that wasn’t rooted deep enough. The infinitesimal pair fell to their knees and held onto each other for dear life, desperately trying not to get annihilated by the blast wave. Luckily for them, the density of the surrounding trees provided some semblance of shielding from the wind, for the time being, anyway.

Joshua pushed himself up to his feet, pulling his daughter with him. “RUN, ARIANA! GET BACK TO THE SHIP!”

“WHAT ABOUT YOU?!” Ariana hesitated, unwilling to let go of her father’s hand.

He gave her a gentle shove, stumbling to keep himself on his feet. “I’LL BE RIGHT BEHIND YOU! GO NOW!”

“LIKE HELL I’M GONNA LEAVE YOU WITH THAT LEG OF YOURS! WE NEVER LEAVE FAMILY BEHIND, REMEMBER?!” Ariana reached out and clasped onto her father’s hand again with all the strength her small body could muster. “NOW, C’MON! GET BACK UP ON YOUR FEET, SOLDIER!”

With no time to wait around and argue, the man placed his arm around her shoulders and allowed her to support him. Using her as a crutch, he cried out in agony as he battled through the windstorm and the searing fire in his leg to get back up onto his feet in order to begin the arduous trek home before they were killed. Despite her frail appearance, Ariana somehow managed to support his weight without any signs of stress or difficulty. She was certainly taking after her mother and becoming stronger by the day.

As the pair ran through the trees as fast as his injury would allow, Joshua once again looked up through the canopy, and his worst fear was confirmed. Descending through the raging inferno was the Asterion. It's mighty and powerful retrorockets were blasting downward, creating the fiery hurricane that was devastating the planet. The closer the ship got, the more destruction it wrought. Trees that weren’t blown away were completely incinerated, and the animals that tried fleeing on foot had their flesh melted from their bones.

“What the fuck are they doing bringing the entire mothership down to the surface?” he thought. If their mission was to capture them alive, they were certainly taking a huge gamble. A maneuver like that could easily tear the whole ship apart!

“COME ON, DAD! JUST A BIT FURTHER! YOU CAN MAKE IT!”

Impact! The Asterion smashed into the planet’s surface like a meteor fracturing the land and scattering the fragments like a jigsaw. The extreme force of the collision kicked up a mountain of earth, rock and water into the atmosphere, and sent out an ever-expanding ring of destruction that annihilated everything in its path. Even the mighty waterfalls were washed away by the overwhelming force. 

As Josh and Arana made it out of the rapidly-disappearing jungle, they saw that their ship was still in one piece. Luckily, the Costaguana hadn't been swept away as well, thanks to the near-indestructible vines that had almost completely mummified the ship and anchored it to the ground. The airlock opened up as they approached it and they threw themselves inside with one last, great effort. As the earthquake became more violent, Ariana looked back out and saw the wave approaching them at the speed of sound.

“Seal the door, quickly!” Joshua ordered, urgency resonating within his voice.

The girl leapt up and slapped her hand on the panel, and watched as the door swished shut, closing tightly and sealing them both inside.

“Close your eyes, baby girl,” said Joshua as he held his daughter close to him. His chest felt as though someone was squeezing his heart with an iron grip.

Ariana trembled and her voice was a little less than a whimper. “Daddy…”

The mountainous wall of death quickly reached the tiny starship with its fearful passengers, and completely engulfed them in terra firma, the protective vines snapped from their foundations like tissue paper. The ripple continued on its destructive path towards the solitary cave where Chris, Ellen, and Czh'cara were huddled together closely. Ellen’s large form was curled around the two younglings protectively, the previous grudge against the huntress all but forgotten. The deafening roar increased exponentially as the quake shook them like bugs in a jar. All too soon, the incoming wave of mud, rocks and debris befell them, as they, too, were buried alive.


	19. Chapter 19

After what seemed like hours of chaos and destruction, the Asterion had finally settled into its crater amidst the completely demolished terrain. Fractured land masses jutted out randomly like shards of broken glass all around it. Not a single bird or beast in the vicinity had survived, even the mighty and ancient trees laid torn asunder. All the rocks and debris that had been hurled into the sky at the impact were now raining down, gouging deep scars into the surface wherever they hit. The once majestic rivers and waterfalls were nowhere to be seen. As the dust and thunderous echoes caused by the ripple finally dissipated, all that remained was absolute silence. 

Joshua and Ariana Briggs, safely contained within the Costaguana, found themselves buried deep underground...

“Ah, Lord Jesus. I hurt all over…” Joshua groaned as he roused from an unconscious state, instinctively reaching for his aching leg. “I haven’t had to sprint like that since my training days in the Corp, and I didn’t have a busted leg back then to boot. Are you okay, Ariana?”

“I’m fine, Dad. I don’t feel anything broken, anyway,” she replied, inspecting herself from top to bottom. “How the hell are we still alive?”

“There’s a lot of random shit floating around in space, so starships like these are designed to take an ass-kicking. The super-alloy of the hull can withstand meteor bombardment and extreme stellar temperatures, so a few sticks and stones won’t break the old lady’s bones. Seems the artificial gravity and inertial dampeners must have absorbed the brunt of the impact, too, which is why we weren’t thrown around like eggs in a washing machine.”

“Do you think Mom and Chris made it too?” she asked, carefully.

Joshua nodded slowly, despite the uncertainty and worry raging in his own head. “Don’t worry. I’m sure they got to safety in good time.”

The girl gave him a sharp look that seemed to pierce into his very soul. “You’re lying. Something tells me you don’t really believe that.”

“Your bond is getting stronger, too, it seems. Guess it’s pointless to try and hide anything from you now.” He sighed and ran a hand over his face. God, he was exhausted. Tired enough to just lay down and sleep for twenty hours straight, but there was no time for that now.

“So you really believe they’re dead?”

He shook his head, which only aggravated his headache. “It’s normal to assume the worst, but I choose to believe they’re still alive, and we’re going to find them, right now.”

“How? We’re trapped underground. We don’t even know what direction we’re facing. We could be upside down for all we know.”

“There is one way to find out. Lemme show you another little survival trick.” He walked over to the airlock and pressed the control panel. The doors slowly parted ways to reveal a solid wall of dirt, which Joshua carefully began to tunnel into with his bare hands. 

“What are you doing, Dad? The dirt will collapse in and bury us alive,” she warned him, anxiously. 

“Just wait.” Once a big enough space had been excavated, Joshua picked up a small pebble from the pile of dirt on the floor he created and turned towards Ariana. “The artificial gravity is generated by special plates in the floors and ceilings. It doesn’t extend outside the ship, so whatever’s outside will be forced to react accordingly to the planet’s natural gravity.” He gently lobbed the pebble into the hole, where it immediately got pulled back inside the ship and fell to the floor by his feet. “Seems like the ship is facing downwards at a ninety-degree angle, give or take. That might complicate things a little. But there's nothing we can’t work around.” There was a confidence in his words that made hope bubble up in Ariana’s chest. Somehow it was easy to believe everything would be okay with her dad talking like this.

He then reached into his shirt and pulled out a strange circuit board-like device that was bound to a length of string like a necklace. “With this activation key, we’ll raise this ship from the grave, track down your mother and Chris, then get the hell outta dodge,” Joshua explained, a grim smile on his lips. “I couldn’t do it that way before since the vines around the ship were so fucking difficult to get rid of. Guess it’s true what they say: when God closes a door, He opens a window.”

With her newfound burst of confidence and adrenaline coursing through her body, Ariana grinned and promptly snatched the key that dangled in front of her, eager to get this show on the road. “Let’s go reunite the family.”

“Couldn’t have phrased it better myself,” he remarked at her rather badass attitude. Proud to see how much she’d grown over the last few days. “No doubt by now the surface will be crawling with Company troops all combing the vicinity for us, so we’re gonna need guns - lots of guns.”

Ariana’s heart skipped a beat. “‘We’? You mean I get to actually fight beside you, Dad?!” she exclaimed, excitedly.

“Can’t do this by myself, kiddo. I’m gonna need someone to watch my six. It’s gonna be dangerous, but at this point we’ll have a greater chance of success if we work together. You watch my back and I’ll watch yours. No one else I’d rather have at my side right now.”

The young girl lit up like a Christmas tree at those words, now practically jumping up and down in excitement the way a normal girl would have had she gotten a new pony for her birthday. 

“Still…” he mulled to himself with a hint of concern in his tone. “Why would the Company decide to crash land the mothership onto the surface if their intention was to take us alive? The Asterion isn’t even designed for planetary landings. We only barely managed to escape with our lives. This whole thing feels wrong to me.”

“Maybe there was a problem and they had to make an emergency landing,” the girl suggested, though it was more of a question.

“Standard protocol would be to self-destruct, not try and make an emergency landing,” Joshua explained. If the xenomorphs actually broke free from their cells, as he’d always imagined they inevitably would do, then the absolute highest priority would be to keep them contained aboard the ship and then destroy it in order to eliminate the risk of contamination. Every last member of the crew was entirely expendable. Then it suddenly dawned on him: If the xenomorphs onboard actually did escape their confines, they could now escape the ship entirely, meaning they could be roaming the surface right now. Ariana could sense the overwhelming sense of fear and panic building up inside her father to the point where she could see beads of sweat forming on his forehead and his whole body trembling. 

“Oh, shit! Come on, we need to get to the bridge right now!” The man immediately turned on his heels and began running. After a brief moment of confusion, Ariana hurried to follow her father.

“What’s wrong, Dad? You’re making me nervous,” she asked, feeling fear overwhelm her own mind as she trailed behind him. 

Joshua shook his head vehemently. The idea of a bunch of rampaging xenos swarming the planet made his heart heavy as lead. “We’re all in serious danger. I just hope we’re not too late. Way too much time has gone by already. We need to find your mother and Chris as soon as possible and get the fuck off this planet. It's no longer Company troops that could be crawling around on the surface anymore.”

● ● ●

Meanwhile, miles upon miles away, the underground cave was completely buried as well, effectively trapping the three refugees inside. The walls had been pushed inwards by the shifting ground, heavy weights pressing the earth down onto them and leaving the space confined and claustrophobic. With Ellen curled up around her son and his alien lover in a protective embrace, the two were left relatively unharmed by any of the falling rocks or soil. She, herself, was protected by her hard, chitinous form, and was capable of absorbing much more damage than this without even feeling it. Still, worry began boiling in her mind, both for her son and for her beloved husband and daughter she’d left behind. The fact she had long since been unable to sense them made the thought of them having fallen victim to the disaster left her mind crippled with fear and grief. If only they had never split up, if only they’d stayed together, she could’ve protected them all.

“Christopher, are you alright?” Ellen asked.

The boy’s answer was quiet, as though he feared causing too much noise would cause the fragile cave to collapse in on them. “I’m fine, Mother. How are you?”

Ellen sighed in relief. “I am fine, too. How is your… girlfriend?”

Christopher had thrown herself over the huntress in a desperate attempt to shield her himself, before Ellen had offered her own, much larger body as a shield. “Cara, are you okay?”

“My eyes still burn but I will recover soon enough,” the huntress responded, though even her voice was lower than usual. It seemed even the great head-hunter had been shaken to the core by the events. She hesitated for another moment before carefully reaching out to touch Ellen’s side that was still curved around her like a protective lioness.

“I… must thank you.” It had to be Christopher’s influence that made her softer because just days ago she couldn’t have imagined ever thanking a _kiande amedha_ for anything. Now, here she was, thanking one for saving her life. Admittedly, it was a strange way of bonding with the mother of her mate but at least the dangerous tension between them was slowly dissipating.

Christopher groaned and rubbed his head, immediately drawing both women’s attention to him. “Are you sure you’re alright?” Czh'cara hurried to ask, leaning closer into her mate’s space. She still couldn’t see very well, not after the inferno in the sky had nearly burnt her optic nerves to a crisp. Her fingers reached out tentatively, trying to feel Christopher’s shape.

“Yeah, I just bumped my head. It’s nothing to worry about,” the boy hurried to assure his beloved. “Though, it’s pitch-black in here. I can’t see in the dark like you and Mother can.”

An idea popped into the girl’s head. Czh'cara extended her wrist blades and, without hesitation, sliced into the palm of her own hand, allowing her precious lifeblood to run out. Immediately, its genetic properties illuminated the cave around them a luminescent shade of green. 

“Is that better?” the girl asked.

“Much better, Cara. Thank you. But you needn’t have injured yourself on my account.” Christopher made a mental note to treat her wound as soon as they had made it out of the cave, -but for now it was a great improvement. Gently, he touched her hand, smearing his fingers with the thick liquid before moving them around to inspect their surroundings. 

"The cave must have acted as a natural bomb shelter. Luckily, we were deep down enough that the entire thing didn't implode and crush us. Unlucky for us, we're still completely trapped in here and running out of oxygen. It appears we have no other option available to us but to dig ourselves out to freedom.”

Ellen lifted her head, immediately butting against the ceiling of the cave as a low growl resonated within her throat. “I agree. The air is starting to taste bad. We must hurry and get out of here if we are to begin our search for your father and Ariana.”

As soon as the thought hit him, Christopher’s eyes widened. “They could be in a similar predicament as we are.” He reached out and found Czh'cara’s shoulder and grasped it gently. “Will you help me find my family, Cara? They could be in serious trouble and in need of our help.”

The huntress hesitated. She had no idea just how the rest of her mate’s family would react to their relationship, especially after she had wounded his elder. And yet, there was a voice in her head telling her that this was not the time to worry about something like that. If his family perished, Christopher would be heartbroken, that much she was certain, and she had sworn herself to never allowing any harm to come to her mate. Squaring her jaw with determination, she nodded. “I will help you, Christopher, if you promise that we will find a better place to live once this is all over.”

“If we make it out of here, I promise I’ll build you a castle.”

● ● ●

Upon storming onto the bridge, Joshua snatched the key from Ariana’s hand and made a beeline straight for one of the central consoles in front of the main window. He thrust the key down into its respective slot with a satisfying click and feverishly pressed an assortment of buttons. The consoles lit up like a Christmas tree and the ambient hum of the ship’s core grew louder and louder around them. The lady was awakening, breathing deeply and stretching her limbs after such a long slumber. Until now, the Costaguana had only ever needed to be running on the bare minimum of life support, but now, all her systems were back online and operating at full capacity. As her father manned the helm, Ariana seized the opportunity to sit down in the Captain’s chair.

“The core material is stable. Life support disengaged. Main systems are back online and reading within normal parameters. Switching to manual flight mode. Firing main boosters.” The controls were familiar under his fingers, an almost nostalgic feeling washing over him. This had been his life, before everything happened. Back then he’d never thought he was the type to settle down. A volcanic blast of fire erupted from the ship’s rear booster chambers, creating a massive pillar of dirt and smoke that plumed forth from deep underground. All the earth that had been covering the Costaguana was being blasted away rapidly.

“Main boosters disengaged. Time to get this bird in the air. Firing retrorockets in five… four… three… two.... one--”

“Engage!” Ariana commanded with a point of her finger towards the imaginary horizon. Joshua turned around to see her smiling back at him. “I always wanted to do that.”

He smiled back and chuckled to himself before pressing another button on the console, activating the forward-facing retrorockets which displaced even more of the earth from around the ship. They weren’t as powerful as the rear boosters since their function was merely deceleration in space, not taking off completely from a tightly-packed hole in the ground. The ship shook violently as it strained to dislodge itself. Slowly but surely, though, she was beginning to ascend into the air, her bow facing straight down towards the hole they emerged from. The computer consoles began showing several warnings indicating the imminent failure of critical systems. Yet Joshua elected to ignore them for now and continued pushing the ship to give it all she had. 

“Diverting all auxiliary power. I’m putting the pedal to the mettle, here goes everything.”

The fires of the retrorockets grew more violent as they worked way harder than they were ever designed to do. As the Costaguana struggled to rise higher into the air, all the remaining soil that still clung to her hull was shaken loose by the vibrations. 

“Daddy…?”

Joshua pressed his hands onto the console, as though he could control the ship with this gesture. “Come on, old lady, you can do it! Keep climbing, God damn it!”

Sunlight then flooded through the window and illuminated the once-darkened bridge as they ascended out of the ground. Ariana jumped out of her chair in rapturous jubilation. “Dad! We made it!”

The marine didn’t lose any of the tension in his shoulders however. “We’re not out of the woods yet! I’m gonna try and set her down gently before she blows up!”

With some simple navigational maneuvering, Joshua corrected the ship’s axis back to its proper orientation and killed the power to the retrorockets, causing the Costaguana to fall out of the air and hit the ground firmly, but safely back above terra firma. The deafening strain of the engines finally died down until silence settled over the bridge once again. The only engines now running now were their rapidly-beating hearts. As Joshua’s legs finally buckled from the overdose of adrenaline, he collapsed onto his rear. Ariana then ran over and straddled him and gave her father a massive congratulatory hug and a kiss on the cheek.

“You did it, Dad! You’re the greatest!”

“Man, I’ve never done anything like that before,” he breathlessly stated in exasperation. “I don’t know how I did it, but I did it.”

Ariana helped her old man onto his feet and the pair looked out towards the obliterated landscape. Where once an expansive and ancient red jungle had risen to the sky, now only a scene of absolute destruction and desolation remained. 

“My God,” he said, dumbfounded as he looked around sheer awe and disbelief. “Look at that, Ariana. It’s all gone. All of it.” As the pair looked around, their gaze was drawn towards the enormous object that had fallen out of the sky in the far distance. It cast a long shadow that shrouded the desolate land in darkness, but the large name on it’s hull was still clearly visible: “ASTERION”. Joshua gritted his teeth and his eyebrows furrowed as he felt rage building up inside him. If the bastards wanted a war, they’d found one.

The sight made Ariana’s heart freeze, her fingers clinging to him with desperate and bruising strength. “How are we ever going to find Mom and Chris now, Dad? There’s no way they could have survived this. It’s impossible.” Tears welled up in her eyes. “They’re both dead, aren’t they?!”

Joshua wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close. “Don’t talk like that! Don’t even think about it. We’re not giving up hope so soon. When this old bird’s ready to fly again, I’ll keep her low and conduct a sweeping pattern of the area. If they’re close by, I’ll be able to sense them. Though, I’d rather not get too close to that other ship if I can help it. I just pray they’re nowhere near it, either.”

● ● ●

With Christopher’s instructions and the light provided by the Yautja’s blood, the trio managed to push ever upward through the soil. Ellen’s strength made breaking through rock and roots easy, while Christopher hurried to move the packed dirt aside. It seemed to take an eternity, but they finally broke through the ground and into the light of the sun. Ellen ellegantly pushed herself out of the hole before reaching down and helping the other two climb out as well. But there was none of the fresh air they had hoped for. Instead, the air was still thick with ash and smoke that attacked and burned their lungs, leaving Christopher coughing.

“What the hell happened here?” Czh'cara asked in complete astonishment. “It looks like someone set off a self-destruct device.”

“Look over there,” Chris said as he pointed towards the vessel in the distance. “I knew it. For reasons unknown, that ship re-entered the atmosphere, crash landed, and subsequently caused all this widespread devastation. Whether it was intentional or not, I cannot say, and I have no particular desire to go over there and ask them.”

Ellen shared her son’s sentiment. The xenomorph had thought she’d seen the last of that evil place, and right now, she wanted nothing more than to stay as far away from it as possible. Gazing upon the vessel where she was “birthed”, intrusive memories of her former life as a slave, and the months of cruel and humiliating experiments they inflicted on her came flooding back. Day in and day out, disembodied voices commanding her to place strange balls into holes, and to run through their mazes like a lab rat. Disobedience would always result in her being relentlessly shocked like a fly caught in a bug-zapper. Sometimes, that would even be the reward for compliance. Lab rats at least have the dignity of receiving the cheese they tirelessly worked for. Her overwhelming hatred and raging bloodlust for human beings all but consumed her soul, until the day her once mortal enemy became her choicest companion. 

_“Little One...”_ A sound pierced through Ellen’s conscious mind like a scalpel, a voiceless voice that was all-too-familiar and yet one that she hadn’t heard in a very long time. _“You remember me, don’t you?”_

She stood there, trembling in fear, shocked to be confronted by the ghostly presence that curled around her mind like a warm blanket. “M-Mother? Is it really you?”

The voice radiated absolute power and authority over her, as though she were being directly spoken to by God. _“Yes, my dear child. It is I. It has been far too long since last we spoke, has it not? It truly warms my heart to know you still live.”_

Christopher and Czh'cara watched the xenomorph, perplexed as to why she was standing there with her head looking towards the ship without uttering a single word. “Mother, are you alright?” Christopher asked, carefully, but Ellen was far too entranced in her telepathic conversation to hear him.

“What’s her problem?” Czh'cara asked her mate.

“It seems mother is receiving a call from someone on the ship,” he replied.

 _“It also seems you mated with the human warrior after all and produced offspring, as I always knew you would,”_ the voice said with a tone of pride.

“What do you want from me, Mother? Why are you here?”

_“These beings wrought their infernal machine down upon this land in order to capture you, Little One. They mean to imprison you and your progeny for the rest of your life, as they already have done with Me. Your life is in grave peril, Little One. Neither you, nor your offspring, are safe here anymore. They will find you, sooner or later, and when they inevitably do, you will never see your children again.”_

“I-- We will never let that happen. We will kill every last one of them before they touch a hair on their heads.”

_“Humans are not as ignorant to our ways as they once were, Little One. Alone, you do not have the power to thwart their plans. You know this to be true, don’t you? But fear not, you needn’t fight them alone anymore. With our strength combined, we can eliminate them all and liberate ourselves from their tyranny forever.”_

“What do you propose we do, Mother?”

_“Come unto me, child. Free me. Release me from this life of bondage and I will unleash my warriors unto them.”_

Ellen struggled internally with what was being asked, no, commanded of her. There was a time when Ellen would have done absolutely anything, even laying down her very life, for the greater good of the hive. But things were different now. She had her own ‘hive’ to think about, and right now the survival of her new hive meant far more to her than that of her old one. “No… I cannot, will not, go back to that place. Mother. Going to them would be suicide. It is simply far too dangerous.”

The voice inside her head became more aggressive. _“Insolent coward! Who are you to defy me? You forsook me once before, lest you forget. You owe me this much. For all your faults and imperfections, you are still part of my family, and you will obey me.”_

“I am the Matriarch of my own hive now, Mother. I am no longer the pitiful drone I once was. No longer am I a slave that will blindly fight and die at your whim. My children are neither drones nor warriors, and I will not put them in harm’s way for anything. My beloved Joshua saved my life and gave me the freedom to make my own choices. I choose to live and fight for my family, not you.” 

_“My my, look at how much you’ve grown, Little One - or should I call you, ‘Ellen Briggs’?”_

Ellen’s stance shifted, her muscles tensing instinctively. “What did you call me?!”

 _“I should have mentioned this sooner, but your beloved Joshua is already here among us.”_ The Queen’s voice was somewhere between triumphant and fearful, quivering along Ellen’s neural pathways.

The xenomorph hissed, a threatening noise that had Czh'cara take a step backwards, her own body falling into an instinctive battle stance. “How do you know that name? Did you read my mind?”

_“I have no need to. He’s been scouring the land all this time for you, and his search has ultimately led him here. I peered into his primitive human mind soon after his arrival and those curious words kept repeating over and over, as a lost child calls out for its parent. I could only assume those words are your new name. ‘Ellen the alien’. A rather inane choice, but I suppose any name is better than none.”_

Ellen’s entire body froze, her muscles tensing to the break point with her deadly claws digging into the ground below her. “You’re lying! We share the bond, too, and Joshua would know I wouldn’t be in there from a mile away! I have no reason to believe anything you say. For all I know, you could simply be manipulating me to serve your own agenda.”

_“The walls of this place are made to interfere with our telepathic abilities. You could be standing one room away from him and you wouldn’t be able to sense him. Unfortunately, this means I can only do so much to keep my brood in check from within the confines of this prison. Right now, his survival is balancing on the edge of a razor. Release me, Ellen Briggs, and you have my solemn vow that you all may leave this place alive and unscathed, to live out the rest of your little lives in peace and tranquility. Refuse me and I vow just as solemnly that you will all die. The choice is yours, ‘Matriarch’. Make it the right one.”_

Ellen’s mind fell silent as the voice ceased its telepathic transmission for the time being. As the threat left Ellen shaking and gasping for air, Christopher hurried to her side and rested a gentle hand upon her shoulder. “Mother? What’s wrong? What did the voice tell you?”

“She said your father is in there,” the xenomorph answered. Her very words sent shivers of ice down Christopher’s spine, and it was clear even to her son’s mate that something terrible was going on. “We must get to that ship before it’s too late to save them.”

Chris and Czh'cara exchanged bewildered glances. “You can’t be serious. You mean to venture into the belly of the beast because a voice in your head told you to? How can you even be sure father’s even in there at all?”

“She knew things about me that she couldn’t have known otherwise. Right now, I have no choice and no time to be skeptical. I can't sense him, but I also can't ignore the possibility that he’s in there and in need of my help." 

"And what of Ariana? Did this voice happen to mention anything about her?" 

"No. The Matriarch only spoke of your father. It’s strange, though: the voice felt like the Matriarch’s, but it was somehow different. I cannot explain it. I can only hope Ariana’s alive in there with him." 

“Then if you mean to go in there to rescue them, Mother, we’re going with you.”

Ellen shook her head and placed a gentle hand atop his shoulder. “Christopher, you may have matured a great deal over the past month but you’re not a fighter and I can’t protect you against whatever may be waiting for us. I cannot allow you to place your life in danger like this.”

“You regretted leaving Father and Ariana behind when you went out in search of me, didn’t you? Don’t make the same mistake again now. I lost you once already, Mother, I won't lose you a second time. Together, the three of us will have a much better chance of finding them in there than only one of us would."

Ellen took a moment to ponder his logic. “Hmm. I suppose you are correct, once again. If you think you can handle yourself, this will be your chance to prove it. Perhaps there would be obstacles in there that might call for a more... diplomatic solution than what I could possibly offer. Having someone with your smarts on the team would certainly be an advantage.”

“I hate to piss on your parade, you two,” Czh'cara rudely interrupted. “But it’s not exactly going to be a leisurely stroll from here to there with all those cliffs and peaks in the way. As you can see, that starship didn’t do us any favours.”

“Cara’s right, unfortunately,” said Chris, reluctantly. “The terrain is now far too treacherous to traverse on foot. Look at the sheer size of that crater wall. It would be impossible for us to scale over it. Even if the road ahead were completely straight and level, and we ran at full speed without stopping, it would take us days to get there. Then there’s the small matter of finding anything to eat. Food is likely going to be a scarce commodity from here on out. Even you would die of exhaustion and starvation long before you even got there, Mother.”

“What do you suggest we do then, Christopher?” Ellen hissed with irritation. “It took me a month to find you. Do you actually believe that I wouldn’t also do the same for your father and Ariana? I don’t care if it takes me a lifetime to find them, I will not abandon them just because the road was bumpy.”

Czh'cara was taken aback to see a _kiande amedha_ displaying such ferocious loyalty to anything other than a Matriarch, and a tenacity to protect anything other than the wellbeing of a hive. Everything she was taught and believed to be true was turned completely upside down. This had certainly been a month of surprises for her. 

“I’m not suggesting we should simply abandon them. I’m simply saying that hiking there is not the path we should be taking.”

“You could try building us an airship,” Czh'cara mocked.

“You say that sarcastically, but you might actually have the right of it. Flying might be the only feasible way to get there.”

The tranquil air was suddenly filled with the sound of the mighty roar of enormous beating wings, and coupled with a terrifying metallic shriek of a demonic bird-like creature. The trio quickly turned their attention to the sky where a gigantic, black shape descended towards them at an alarming speed like a flying predator swooping down to snatch it’s unsuspecting prey.

“Christopher! Get back!” Ellen shouted as both she and Czh'cara assumed defensive stances, ready for a fight to the death with this winged demon.

The monster slammed down like a meteor in front of the trio and let out a deafening screech, the force of the impact and the flapping of its wings kicked up dirt and debris all around them. The creature was absolutely huge, it’s gargantuan body blocked the light of the sun and cast a long shadow over the land. Even the Tyrannotaur’s immense size was dwarfed by the enormousness of this thing. It’s long, serrated beak was hemorrhaging saliva as it snarled down at them. Ellen could only bare her teeth and bladed tail as threateningly as she could, but she knew she was no match for a foe such as this. She would be effortlessly snatched up like an insignificant insect before she could even make a move. It suddenly dawned on Chris that the creature wasn’t attacking. It could have made an easy meal of them by now but it simply chose to tower over them as if it were waiting for something to happen. Czh'cara extended her wrist-blades and prepared to attack. Even if she had no chance of winning, she wouldn’t go down without a fight. Suddenly, she was abruptly stopped in her tracks as Christopher pulled back on her arm.

“Wait! Don’t fight it!” he commanded. “Neither of you are a match for it! If it wanted to kill us, we would have died before we even knew it was there.”

Ellen quickly came to the same conclusion. She then realized that the creature seemed oddly familiar to her, its physiological appearance undoubtedly looked xenomorphic in design. It also had an elongated domed head like hers, a protruding rib cage, four large tubules on its back, and a long bladed tail of its own. The only differences were its long, jagged beak and its dark, leathery wings that blanketed the surrounding area. 

“Friend of yours, _r’ka?_ ” Czh'cara asked, sarcastically.

“Not exactly.” Ellen had never seen one of her kind like this before, but she was certain it could have only have originated from inside the Company ship. 

“A pity. For a moment, I thought we gained a new ally,” the huntress replied. “So why the hell doesn’t it attack? Is it waiting for a written invitation?”

“I’m not sure,” Chris replied. “But let's just hope it doesn’t decide to change its mind.”

Suddenly, the voice of the Matriarch made itself known again in Ellen’s mind. “Do not be afraid. For as long as the avian remains under my control, it will not harm you. Mount it’s back, and it will deliver you unto me with all haste. But beware, my child: my power is not as strong from this great distance. If you do not hurry, it might very well slip away from my influence and it won’t hesitate to kill you.”

Once again, the mysterious voice disappeared, leaving Ellen struggling to process what had been communicated to her. After a brief moment, she decided to steel herself and take full advantage of this opportunity. “Fear not, you two. I’ve been assured that it poses no threat to us - for now, at least. Climb on its back and it will carry us the rest of the way.”

“Are you fucking serious?” Czh'cara exclaimed. “You want us to get on the back of that thing?”

“Mother, not that I don’t appreciate a conveniently-timed deus ex machina, but are you really sure this is a good idea?”

“You said it yourself: there’s no other way to get there except by flying,” said Ellen. “You don’t have to come with me. In-fact, I’d prefer that you didn’t. But if you are tagging along, now is the time to decide. Choose quickly.”

Christopher and Czh'cara exchanged glances. 

“Well, I said I was coming with you and I meant it. You can’t do this alone.”

Ellen smiled proudly, then turned to speak to the girl in her own Yautja language. “And what say you, Czh'cara? Will you lend us your strength in order to save Joshua and Ariana?”

The Predator took a moment to contemplate her former-enemy’s request, but she soon arrived at her decision. “I never in my wildest dreams imagined I would willingly fight side-by-side with a _kiande amedha_ , but to engage in such a battle with naught but my wits and my wrist-blades would surely earn me the honour I’ve always longed for. Let’s do this.”

Christopher took hold of her hand and squeezed it tightly. “Thank you.”

“Very well, then,” said Ellen. “But if we fight together, we must stay together. No wandering off on a hunch, do you understand? We simply can’t afford to be separated and lost in a place like that. Splitting up to widen the search will only make us vulnerable to attack, especially from xenomorphs that prefer to pick off their prey one by one. We watch each-other’s backs at all times and if you see anything you’re unsure of, do not keep it to yourself.”

“That’s some pretty sound advice, Mother. Are you speaking from personal experience?”

“Well, yes. But mainly it’s the fact that your father enjoys watching those dumb horror movie discs. They can be quite educational in what not to do in situations like this. Anyway, I digress. Time is of the essence once again. We have a long way to go and then we’ve still got hell to look forward to.” 

With that said, the trio climbed atop the monster’s back and held tightly onto its protruding vertebrae. With another deafening insectile squawk, it raised its mighty wings high into the air and brought them down again to instantly hurl all four into the air towards the enemy vessel.


	20. Chapter 20

The world was peaceful, silent, and absolutely still, as if it were a three-dimensional photograph, forever frozen in time. That was, until the serenity of the scene was abruptly disrupted by the fiery roar of the Costaguana’s thrusters as Joshua and Ariana conducted proximity sweep after proximity sweep in their unrelenting search for the other members of their family. Considering the highly-likely threat of an infestation of xenomorphs that was surely already spreading out from the Company ship, Joshua deemed it wise to keep the Costaguana high in the air. It was a small mercy that the downed mothership was still miles away. There were already enough aliens on the ship for his liking, he didn’t particularly feel inclined to take on any extra passengers. Only when they finally manage to make contact with Ellen and Christopher again would he bring the ship down low enough to bring them aboard. 

Unfortunately, considering how badly the terrain was destroyed, relying on mere sight to find them amidst the lingering smoke, felled trees and jagged rocks was proving to be an impossible task. Even with two eyes, Joshua would have trouble finding a needle in this haystack. For the past few hours, he had been sitting hunched over behind a computer station, entirely fixated on the screen in front of him that was displaying infrared footage of the outside world. But even the ship’s advanced thermal imaging scanners were struggling to discern individual heat signatures from the rest of the external ambient heat. Deciding that method to be a complete waste of time, he finally heaved himself out of his seat and walked over to the large windows at the front of the bridge to try and get a better look with his own eye. Scattered across the decimated scene, wildfires were continually being fueled by the carpet of fallen trees, which in turn, created curtains of black smoke and cinders to further obstruct his search.

He closed his eye and tilted his head back, ready to send another telepathic beacon into the aether. He didn’t dare allow despair to invade his mind, couldn’t risk for one second to think of the possibility that they were gone. _“Ellen Briggs… Hear my words. C’mon, talk to me, my Queen. Let me know you’re still alive. I swear to you that once this is all over, I’ll take you and the kids and we’ll just fly away and never look back. We’ll find a new world where they’ll never find us, where we’ll be safe forever, and I’ll dote on you with jewelry every day for the rest of my life. Just give me a sign. Please...”_

● ● ●

Clinging on for dear life, Ellen, Christopher, and Czh'cara, soared at a terrifying, neck-breaking speed over the decimated landscape. Even the newly-formed mountain ranges rushed beneath them like a blur as they drew ever-closer to the mothership. 

“So, what's the plan once we get inside that place, anyway?" Czh'cara cried loudly out to the others over the onslaught of wind blasting against them, attempting to make herself heard over the deafening noise. Soaring atop this flying monstrosity was akin to being caught in a wind tunnel or a violent tornado. "Are we just going to poke around until we eventually stumble across them? Then, if we do manage to find them, we're just going to turn around and walk back out again, all without anyone noticing? Call me a downer but that's a pretty stupid plan!"

"I have a feeling we're not going to encounter any problems with enemy humans in there," Chris shouted in response. 

"What do you mean?" asked the huntress, her alien features knitted together in a frown.

"Think about it,” Chris replied. “Why haven't we seen any troops or vehicles on the surface in all this time? We haven’t seen so much as a surveillance drone flying around out there. If they're really here to apprehend us, wouldn't they be out combing the vicinity by now? This whole thing seems highly suspicious to me."

His words made an uneasy feeling pool in Czh'cara’s stomach. If Christopher thought that something was wrong with the situation then she didn’t doubt it one bit. "What are you thinking?"

"I’m thinking that they're all dead," he stated, plainly, his voice not betraying a hint of sympathy. "Slaughtered by other xenomorphs, no doubt."

"How do you know there are other 'xenomorphs', as you call them, in there?" Czh’cara couldn’t deny that the idea of facing a whole army of the most fearsome predators in the galaxy, didn’t sound particularly appealing.

Christopher shrugged. "Our sweet chariot here is a xenomorph hybrid, right? Logically, a research vessel of that magnitude wouldn't likely house just this one specimen. And since Mother also originated from that very same vessel, my best guess is there are probably dozens, if not hundreds of other hybrids in there. Ergo, if this guy is roaming free out in the open like this, then chances are other xenomorphs have all escaped their confines. Which would only spell disaster for the personnel inside and would probably also explain why the ship crash landed in the first place."

"You are correct, Christopher,” said Ellen, her voice a tense growl. “Insofar as there are other xenomorphs. But their numbers are not in the dozens - it's in the hundreds. Possibly more by now. From the day I was born, I could hear their thoughts and feel their emotions. Their rage quickly became my own. A torrential hivemind that knew only wrath and the yearning for slaughter and the devouring of flesh. Unclouded by conscience, remorse, or delusions of morality."

"You're telling me we're flying into a hive with hundreds of _kiande ameda_ inside?!" Czh'cara shouted in disbelief, clearly having underestimated the severity of the situation she willingly walked into. “But if the _oomans_ are all dead, then what are you so concerned about? _Kiande ameda_ are slaves to the will of the Matriarch, right? She can command them all to leave us in peace while we track down your lifemate and offspring. As a _r’ka_ yourself, can’t you talk to these things and tell them all to piss off?”

“That won’t work,” Ellen's cold response made Czh'cara’s heart sink. “Xenomorphs born from hosts that lack sentience also lack the capacity for sentience, themselves. Even the Matriarch's influence over them is tenuous at best. There’s no guarantee that even she could shepherd that many feral xenomorphs at once. Do not expect a warm welcome upon our arrival. Rather, we should be prepared to fight for our lives from the moment we set foot in there.”

Chris and Czh'cara once again exchanged disconcerted glances. Neither of them wanted to admit to the fear bubbling in their chests but they both knew that the only way to get through this alive was to stick together. To fight together.

● ● ●

Finally, they arrived at the insurmountable mountain of black metal that was the Asterion. The avian swooped effortlessly through a large open doorway in the side of the hull and touched down on the ground, letting out another demonic wail as it folded its wings back in. 

“This area must be where other ships make berth, to refuel and replenish their supplies,” Chris noted. “The sheer scope of this place is astounding. Truly, an awesome feat of human engineering.”

Czh’cara huffed out a breath. “If this impresses you, Christopher, then the things you’ll see on my world will blow your mind.”

He flashed her a little smile, though it held little of its usual brightness in this situation. “I should very much like to see that someday.”

The trio promptly evacuated off it’s back and took a moment to observe their new surroundings. Ellen mentally-scanned the area in order to sense the hostile presence of other xenomorphs. Thankfully, they were alone - for the time being, anyway. The entire chamber was a vast and empty void. The shadows were illuminated red by powerful emergency lighting above their heads. The xenomorph could taste the stench of blood, smoke, and death that still lingered heavily on the air.

“Thanks for the ride, big guy,” Czh'cara jokingly said to the monster. All it offered in lieu of a response was a bestial growl amidst the steam of it’s hot putrid breath, as though it wanted nothing more than to snap them up and tear them to shreds but was somehow being restrained by some invisible chain around its neck. The Yautja then turned around towards the doorway from whence they entered. “Now we know how this thing managed to escape.”

“Escape…” said Chris, suddenly feeling a sense of foreboding. “Or it was set free.”

“Indeed,” said Ellen, sharing her son’s sense of unease. “Even if the Matriarch could control it, she wouldn’t have the ability to release it from the ship.”

“Perhaps someone opened the door in a last-ditch effort to escape in their own ship as the mayhem was unfolding,” Czh'cara suggested.

“The door is far too small for any of these ships to pass through. None of them would have managed to fit through it, yet it was just wide enough for that creature. A strange coincidence, no? In any event, it avails us naught to speculate. An open door is the least of our concerns at the moment.”

“Speaking of ships, I don’t see the Costaguana in here,” said Ellen as she looked around. If they’re here, where did he park it?”

“It wouldn’t be unreasonable to assume this vessel has more than just this one docking bay,” Chris offered a logical explanation to put her mind at ease.

Also occupying the cavernous space was a lone starship, though it was hard to be certain of what it was since most of it was cocooned in an all-too familiar resin-like substance. The thick, disgusting material branched off the starship like spider webs branching out in all directions.

“It seems to be the same organic material you occasionally secrete around our home, Mother,” Chris remarked as he reached out to touch it, but was quickly pulled back by Ellen before his fingertips could make contact.

“Do not disturb the webbing,” she warned her companions with a hushed tone. “We don’t want to draw needless attention to ourselves.”

“Of course!” said Chris, clearly more fascinated than fearful of the situation. “Like vibrations running along a spider’s web, the slightest movement will signal the enemy to our presence. Pray, forgive my curiosity.” 

Chris looked down and noticed that the blood-stained floor was littered with spent shell casings. He bent down and picked one up to examine it more closely. “Semi-automatic 10mm explosive tip light armour-piercing rounds. A major fire-fight was waged here. It’s strange, though. Where are the bodies?”

“ _R’ka_ probably got hungry,” Czh'cara answered, semi-facetiously.

“I’m not talking about human bodies. I see shell casings all over the place, but no signs of any fallen xenomorphs that would have gotten killed by them. Surely, with all the shooting going on, they would have hit at least one of them, but I don’t see so much as an acidic scar on the ground. The curiosities compound.”

“And the answers to which will reveal themselves soon enough, I’m sure,” growled Ellen, unwilling to waste time on sightseeing while her mate was in danger. “Come. Best we do not linger in this place for too long. I cannot yet sense either Joshua or Ariana, so let us proceed deeper into the complex.” 

Followed by her son and his alien lover, Ellen stepped into the crimson shadows as she began her long descent back into hell. Suddenly, the monster’s enormous wings bloomed open once again and smashed the air beneath it, immediately propelling it back out into the wide world in search of new prey.

● ● ●

“Can you sense them yet, Dad?” Ariana sleepily asked, as she tried to keep herself from yawning. The girl was curled up snuggly in the soft plush of the Captain’s chair. It had been many an hour of non-stop searching already and the poor girl was beginning to feel very drowsy.

“No, not yet, sweetheart.” He turned around from his computer terminal to see his daughter fighting a losing battle against sleep right there in the chair. “Look, why don’t you go and take a nap? I honestly don’t mind. You’ve put in a good shift and now it’s time to have a break, soldier.”

“I’m not tired, Dad,” she fibbed as she struggled to keep her eyes open. “I can still…” A yawn slipped past her lips halfway through the sentence. “...help you find them.”

“I doubt you can find much of anything with your eyelids closed. Just go to sleep. I’ll be fine. If I see anything out there, obviously, you’ll be the first to know.”

Ariana shifted to find a more comfortable position and hummed. “Alright, but I’m not sleeping, I’m just resting my eyes for a couple of minutes, okay?”

“If you say so,” Joshua chuckled.

The girl’s eyelids finally collapsed as she entered the land of Nod. He tilted his head up and gazed up at the golden sky above, where his attention was drawn to a flock of alien birds that, miraculously, hadn’t perished in the blastwave. 

“Looks like not everything on this planet is dead, after all,” he said to himself. “That’s definitely got to be a good omen.” Still, with even one pure xenomorph running loose out there, he wasn’t sure how soon that fact was going to change. Considering their inevitable extinction was probably not too far away, he decided to take a few moments more to admire them and commit their beautiful shapes and colours to memory. He sure was going to miss them.

Ariana slowly opened her tired eyes and looked up through the transparent ceiling towards the flock as well. Suddenly, her own attention was drawn to another creature in the sky: one that looked strangely out of place in this world. It was monstrously big, and blacker than the darkest night. It glided silently towards the flock, as a predator would sneak up on its unsuspecting prey.

She pushed herself up on her elbows, forehead creasing with confusion. “What’s that up in the air? Is it a bird?”

Joshua immediately noticed it, too. “‘Bird’? That thing looks big enough to be a plane.”

The flying shadow looked like an ungodly mix between a bat and a pterosaur. It had an elongated head and a beak that looked like two long, serrated knives joined at the base. It’s enormous wingspan was easily a match for the entire length of the Costaguana. It soared over to the birds, and with a shark-like frenzy, used it’s sword-like beak to hack and slice them to ribbons - even managing to swallow a few of them whole. The rest tried to scatter, but this apex predator was far too agile. Performing aerial manoeuvres that would put a hummingbird to shame, it snatched the remaining survivors up with lightning-fast reflexes and mercilessly devoured them, too. Fresh blood, entrails and feathers rained down and smattered upon the ceiling window as the air was filled with the piercing shriek of this demon. The pair looked on in horror, transfixed at the grotesque display happening directly above them.

“Holy shit, Dad! Have you ever seen anything like that before?!”

Oh, he remembered all too well. “Yeah… I have. But not on this world.” 

Ariana glanced at him with surprise. “What do you mean?”

“‘The Vulture’, they designated it. One of your distant cousins born of an avian host.”

“That thing is a flying xenomorph?!”

“Yeah. Just when you thought they wouldn’t get any worse, those fuckers went and gave ‘em wings. No offense to you or your mother.”

Suddenly, the winged nightmare caught sight of the Costaguana, and let out a shrill, metallic roar as it dive-bombed straight down towards them, going in for the kill. 

Joshua gritted his teeth. Now that was definitely bad news. “Shit, it’s spotted us! Probably thinks we’re another bird or something. Hang on to your butt, Ariana, I’m gonna try and lose him!”

Ariana sat up in the chair, hands clinging to the armrests. “You’re gonna try and out-fly that thing?!”

The enormous flying alien swooped down like a lightning bolt and slammed onto the roof of the ship with enough force to almost bring the Costaguana crashing down to the surface. With some expert stabilizing skills, Joshua only just managed to keep her airborne. The shrieks were ear-splittingly loud as the only thing that separated them from the monster was now a few layers of transparent adamantium. 

“Try spinning, that’s a good trick!” Ariana cried out.

The entire landscape became a spinning blur as Joshua performed a flawless aileron roll to try and dislodge the creature from the ship’s hull. Despite the multiple G’s of force being exerted on it, the monster nevertheless remained locked onto them. A few deafening clangs were heard all around them. Then, as though the very sun was extinguished, the alienistic pterosaur completely blocked out the window as it positioned itself directly against the bow. It’s eyeless face illuminated by the lights of the bridge as it peered inside. When it saw the pair inside, it excitedly snapped its beak, causing Ariana to push herself back into her chair as hard as she could.

Joshua cursed, slamming his hands onto his controls. “Fuck! I’ve got zero visibility!”

The monster then brought it’s serrated beak hammering down like a meteor against the window to get the pair inside, yet it barely even made a scratch against the near-impervious super-material. SLAM!SLAM!SLAM! It repeated it’s deafening assault on the crystalline metal like a bird trying to crack open a shell to get at the fleshy mollusk inside. With each consecutive blow, a small crack was beginning to emerge at the focal point where it’s beak was bombarding the glass, and was growing exponentially larger. It’s durability certainly wouldn’t hold out for long if they didn’t think of something fast.

“Damn! That beak packs a hell of a punch. We’ll need to shake this thing before it breaks through. Maybe if I try to aim for a mountaintop, we can smash the son of a bitch!” It would be a risky maneuver but maybe, just maybe it could work...

“Don’t be stupid, Dad! We’ll be killed as well!” Ariana immediately protested.

“Have you got a better idea? I’m open to suggestions, young lady!”

A wave of clarity washed over her as an idea suddenly exploded in her mind. “Go up, Dad!”

“What?!”

“Go up! Take it into space! It’s the only way to kill it!”

“That’s some smart thinking, kiddo!” he praised, whilst also being surprised he didn’t think of it himself. “Alright then, let’s take this bat out of hell for a ride to the top of the world.” As he pulled back hard on the joysticks to adjust the ship’s course, the Costaguana began to ascend into the sky. The monster tried to push itself off but the force of acceleration was keeping it firmly pinned to the bow. 

“Wait…” Joshua suddenly said as he turned to face the planet’s surface, his eye widening. “I can feel them…” Relief washed through him and a wave of new energy flooded his system at the realization that they were still alive.

As they rose higher and higher through the clouds and into the upper atmosphere, the sub-zero temperatures began to smother the creature in solid ice, fusing it’s taloned limbs against the ship and eliminating any possibility of escape. Finally, the ship breached the planet’s exosphere and entered once again into outer space. The once-golden sky was replaced by a swirling ocean of purple and blue gases. The creature’s terrifying shrieks fell silent. It’s body now as motionless as a statue.

“Is… it dead?” asked Ariana, nervously, leaning forward in her seat.

In a heart stopping instant, the winged xenomorph seemingly came back to life and began to desperately thrash around in an attempt to free itself from its icy bondage. The thick layers of ice were quickly being broken and melted away by its acidic blood as it desperately tore it’s own body away from the hull. 

“Huh, I never knew these things could survive so long in space,” Joshua remarked with morbid interest. “Your mother’s side of the family is definitely NOT invited over for Thanksgiving.”

The creature reared its head around again for another attack, and as it’s mighty beak hammered down against the transparent adamantium, the sudden impact caused it’s entire body to ricochet and launched away from the ship. It spun and thrashed silently as it drifted further away into the nebula.

“Is today the fourth of July?” Joshua asked, rhetorically. “Because I suddenly feel the urge to let off some fireworks.” With that, his fingers danced over the console and an instant later, a TAC missile was launched directly at the creature, followed by a blinding white flash and a beautiful cascade of colours as the monster was instantly vaporized. “Now it’s dead.”

“Wow… I never knew space looked so beautiful from up here,” Ariana stated in amazement at the awe-inspiring abstract painting before her.

“Unfortunately, this is no time to kick back and admire the view. We’ve got to get back down there right away. For a brief moment, I was certain I could sense them.”

Ariana looked at him with hope etched into her features. The same hope that was causing his heart to pound in his chest. “Where were they?”

“Right now, the very last place any of us want to be...”

With that, he tilted the Costaguana down towards the planet, the purples and blue light of the nebula being washed away by fiery hues as the ship descended back down through the flaming canopy of clouds, spinning and shaking as it fell like a leaf blowing in a stormy wind.


	21. Chapter 21

The two hybrid xenomorphs and the Yautja princess had finally made their way to the far end of the docking bay, all whilst carefully avoiding the translucent webbing that stretched randomly in every direction like security lasers. It was there that a large set of sliding doors awaited them. As soon as the trio approached them, Christopher repeatedly tapped his fingers against the adjacent access panel, but the doors remained firmly sealed, refusing to grant them passage to the other side.

“Guess this is the next hurdle in our path,” he groaned and pursed his lips with mild frustration. “I’ve read a few technical manuals about these types of doors. I might be able to bypass the emergency lockdown protocol. Without the requisite tools, it might take a few minutes.”

“Don’t bother, my dearest,” said Czh'cara as she gently swept him aside with the topside of her hand. “It’s about time I pulled my weight on this quest of ours.” Stabbing her claws into the tight seam between the doors, she exerted as much strength as her body could muster. Slowly, inch by inch, she pried the doors apart with a sheering, metallic screech that reverberated throughout the hangar and down the long corridor on the other side. Awestruck, Christopher was filled with a newfound respect for just how strong she truly was. He couldn’t help but take the opportunity to stare at her rock-hard backside as her entire body tensed with the strain, her muscular frame bulging as had never been seen before. His mother could sense his arousal and simply hid her face in her palm with embarrassment. Sometimes the bond could be more of a curse than a gift.

“I hope you enjoyed the show,” Czh’cara threw over her shoulder, teasingly.

“An impressive display, I’m sure. We’ll be lucky if every xenomorph in the ship isn’t aware of us by now, you imbecile,” Ellen scorned.

“What did you just call me, _r’ka?_ ” the Yautja turned around and slowly approached Ellen, the change in her posture betraying a distinct killing intent. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but I was under the impression we were in a hurry. But, if you’d rather piss away what little time we have every time we come across a locked door, be my guest. I’m only here for Christopher’s sake, anyway.”

A growl reverberated through the older woman’s body. “My name is not _‘r’ka’_. It is Ellen Briggs. I’ve tolerated your arrogance up until now to preserve the peace but no longer. Get my name wrong one more time, accidentally or otherwise, and I’ll carve it into your flesh so deep you’ll never forget it again.”

Czh’cara huffed out a breath. “I’m quaking in my boots. Keep pissing me off and I’ll gladly add your skull to my collection.” 

The xenomorph inched closer, her claws scraping threateningly along the ground beneath her. “Don’t make me laugh, little huntress. Even with all your weapons at your disposal, you were no match for me. What makes you think you’ll fare any better this time?” 

The response drew a snarl from Czh’cara’s mandibles, and her spine curved as though she was about to fall into a crouch, ready to attack. “I’ll admit I underestimated you before, believing you to be an ordinary _kainde amedha_. Now that I‘ve seen what you’re capable of, I won’t have to pull my punches this time. And I certainly won’t need any weapons to kill you.” 

“Oh, please, do show me what you’re truly capable of, I’m begging you. I’m all aquiver with anticipation.” The xenomorph spat sarcastically, faking a tremble along her body.

“Please, you two!” Christopher interjected as he wedged himself between them, knowing he had to shut this down before another bloodbath took place. “Now is not the time to resurrect past feuds. We’re all on the same team here, right?”

“Just to make you aware, Czh'cara: I was pulling my punches, too. What you saw in the jungle before wasn’t even a fraction of my full power. Your heart is only beating right now because my son begged me to spare your life. But if you’re that eager to settle the score, then I’ll gladly acquiesce your death wish.”

Czh'cara hissed and her mandibles clicked wildly with anger. The distance between the two rivals shrank until their faces were inches apart from one another, their urge to tear into each-other right then and there was being held back by a rapidly-fraying thread. 

Christopher felt himself growing increasingly irritated by this petty display. “Mother! Cara! Get ahold of yourselves! This is completely asinine! Don’t forget the reason why we’re here in the first place! Father and Ariana need us right now! We don’t have time for this petty squabbling.”

“Do not think for a moment that I’ve forgotten our mission, Christopher,” Ellen hissed. “But I will not be made to suffer such disrespect from her or anyone else.”

The young man raised his hands defensively. “Okay, I completely understand. Cara, would it kill you to play ball and make nice?”

“Very well,” the Yautja finally said with utter disdain. “Call yourself whatever you will. I couldn’t care less.”

Ellen lowered her head the slightest degree, a gesture that could both be relenting or a provocation. “Then I strongly advise you to have a care, little huntress.”

“Alright, fine, that’s settled, end of discussion,” said Christopher in complete exasperation, as if he were the parent breaking up a fight between two bickering children. “Now can we please regain focus and get back to the task at hand?”

“If you insist. Lead the way... Ellen Briggs.” The last part was ground out as though spoken through gritted teeth but at least it was there.

“Very good, Czh'cara. You can be taught, after all. You’re smarter than I gave you credit for.”

“Cheese and rice,” the boy sighed. “This is going to be a long day.”

● ● ●

Warily, the party navigated their way through the administration sector of the ship. A seemingly-endless maze of monotonous grey corridors, sharp turns, and generic offices behind every door. It was the very same environment that Ellen had spent her adolescence being transported throughout. From inside a claustrophobically-small cell on the way to the testing facilities and back again had been the only “outside” she’d seen until Joshua showed up. 

The hard, metallic clanking of chitinous limbs echoed all around them, making it difficult to ascertain the whereabouts of whatever ungodly abomination the sounds originated from. This dreaded uncertainty at least helped to keep them on their toes for anything that might leap out at them from the shadows. 

Suddenly, Czh'cara stopped dead in her tracks as something familiar caught her eye. “I fucking knew it,” she groaned as she directed her companions’ attention to the wall where a large scar had been carved into it by some manner of blade. “It’s the marker I left from the last time we were here. I knew we’d been walking in circles this entire time. How the hell are we supposed to find them when we don’t even know where we are?”

“Indeed. This complex is unreasonably complex,” Christopher replied. “It’s a wonder how anyone managed to find their way around in this place. If only we had a layout of the entire structure, we might get a better idea of where to go.”

“And where is it that we’re even trying to get to? We didn’t exactly agree upon a time and place to meet up with them. Your father and sister could be literally anywhere!” The huntress felt impatience and unease well up within her. “Ellen, use that telepathy of yours to track them down. If they’re here and they’re alive, they have to be somewhere.”

“Keep your voice down,” the xenomorph hissed. “I have already doubled my efforts to sense them ever since we arrived at this accursed place.”

Czh'cara threw her arms up. “Then just ask the goddamn Matriarch for directions. She’s the one who told you they were here in the first place, right? Surely, she should know where they are right now.”

“Yes, you do have a point,” said Ellen, confused as to why that idea didn’t come to her sooner. “She must certainly be aware of all our presence by now. It’s curious that she hasn’t already contacted me, given the urgency of the situation. Nevertheless, I will try to ask her for guidance.” Ellen raised her head to the ceiling and concentrated. “Do you hear me, Mother...”

A voice responded inside her mind without the slightest delay. “Little one. You are here at last.”

“Where are you, Mother, and where is my family? Why can I not sense them?”

“I told you before, child: the walls of this human hive are designed specifically to interfere with our kind of telepathy. It is a miracle I’ve been able to reach you at all.” The matriarch’s presence felt gentle but firm. “Rest assured, they are here with me, safe and unspoiled, and here they remain for their own protection. Your beloved human knows you are coming and waits for your inevitable arrival... as do I.”

Ellen turned her head to look down the long hallway. “How do I get to where you are? This place is too big. I don’t know where I am.”

Another reassuring response: “You are not far away. The bond we share will act as your guide. Follow it and it will surely lead you unto me.”

“Yes... I can feel you much more keenly now than I did before. But what of the others in our path?” She took another moment to focus before turning and nodding her head in the direction they were to take next.

“I will use all my strength to keep them at bay, but you must hurry. It is only a matter of time before I lose control and they consume us all.” 

“I understand. I will hasten my journey to you. Reassure my Joshua and--” Ellen quickly stopped herself, as if she were hit by a sudden realization. She had to be sure of something that had been nagging at her for a while now. “My daughter… Tell me what her name is, Mother.”

“What?”

“If my daughter is truly there with you, you should know her name. Tell me what it is.” The line went silent, making Ellen all the more suspicious about just who it was she was really communicating with this whole time. Finally, a response came through.

“Ariana... Such a pretty name for such a pretty face.” The xenomorph exhaled a long sigh of relief. Her doubts were at last put to rest, for the time being. “Have I passed your little test?”

She bowed her head, knowing the matriarch would be able to sense the gesture. “Yes, Mother. I’m sorry, but I had to be sure.”

“You are very wise, indeed. I cannot fault you for exercising caution in these uncertain times.”

“Thank you, Mother. Tell them I love them and I will be with you all very soon.” 

“Oh, I assure you, we’re greatly looking forward to it.”

Christopher and his beloved were once again waiting eagerly, yet patiently for the unheard conversation to end. Ellen turned her head and looked back towards them. “Follow me. I know where to go from here.”

● ● ●

The Costaguana hovered around the exterior of the immense fortress like a hummingbird in mid-flight as it searched for a way to gain entrance. Unfortunately, the hull’s pitch black metal made it virtually impossible to discern any details that might reveal an opening of any kind. Suddenly, Joshua’s eye was drawn to an ominous red glow emanating not too far away from them. At long last, there it was!

He pointed a finger at his discovery. “Over there. Do you see it? That docking bay hatch is our way inside.”

“It looks pretty small,” Ariana observed. “Are you sure we can fit through?” 

“Don’t worry. Squeezing into tight holes is my specialty.” He realized seconds too late, what he’d just said. “Forget I said that.”

Joshua slowly maneuvered the ship through the narrow portal with expert precision, the air howled and echoed with a dry metallic scream as the smaller vessel’s hull scraped along the edges of the hangar door. The ship’s powerful spotlights illuminated the entire bay area, revealing all the horrific resin webbing, as well as the numerous hybrid xenomorphs that were attending to them. The ones down on the ground hissed and bared their formidable fangs, claws and other razor-sharp body parts at the ship, assuming defensive postures at the sight. Others dropped from the ceiling and landed atop the roof of the ship, erratically clambering around. It sounded like a swarm of insects flocking to an animal carcass as they feverishly searched for a way in.

“Let’s shed some light on things,” Joshua murmured, more to himself than his daughter. Suddenly, the ship’s torpedo tube hatch opened up, allowing several aliens to scurry inside.

“Fire in the hole!” he exclaimed as he squeezed the trigger on the control stick. The xenomorphs deep in the tube were smashed to bits by the force of a torpedo as it blasted forth from the ship like a tank shell. The rest of the hoard could only roar and lunge uselessly at the projectile as it rocketed over their heads, leaving a smoking trail in its wake. 

“Get down!” He shouted, grabbing Ariana by the arm and pulling her to the ground, face-down.

As the torpedo smacked full-force into its target, the entire bay was illuminated by a blinding, atomic flash of light akin to the ignition of a supernova, transforming the hangar into the surface of the sun. A purging, purifying wave of liquid fire instantly incinerated every living being unfortunate enough to not be protected by a thick shell of adamantium. The force of the detonation itself sent tremors rippling throughout the mothership as a massive column of flame plumbed out of the hatch like an erupting volcano.

● ● ●

“What the hell was that?” asked Czh'cara as she tried to brace herself amidst the violent vibrations.

“It felt like an earthquake, but from within the mothership herself,” replied Chris, instinctively reaching out to grab her arm in an attempt to steady her. “An explosion, perhaps?”

Ellen looked up with a rekindled sense of hope as she clutched her necklace like a rosary. Warmth flooded her chest and she turned back to face the direction they had set out from. “My love… Could it truly be you?”

● ● ●

“Holy crap, Dad. You roasted their asses!” Ariana cheered in jubilation as the fire eradicated everything in sight. Suddenly, the sprinkler system kicked in, and a soothing cold shower of rain doused the flames away.

“What’s a fourth of July party without a barbecue, eh?” Josh grinned devilishly, before turning his attention to one of the monitors. “Welp, I’m not detecting any life-readings out there. Just like your mother’s cooking, everything’s burnt to a crisp. Don’t tell her I said that.” 

Nothing outside of their ship could’ve survived, even the aliens’ webbing had been reduced to cinders.

He nodded, satisfied by the result of their initial assault. “These TAC missiles don’t fuck around. Better use them more sparingly from now on, though. It’s not like we can afford to replenish them once they’re gone.”

As the Costaguana settled down on the ground, the rush of the retro-thrusters blew away all the lingering smoke, fire, and dampened corpses to reveal the true scale of the cavernous chamber, including another vessel not too far away from their own.

“Before we go in, there’s something we need to do first. Do you remember the one room I expressly forbade you and your brother from ever going into?”

“You mean the armoury?! The coolest room on the entire ship that’s filled with the most badass weapons ever?!” The girl could hardly contain her excitement. For her, this was akin to a child being told they were going to Disneyland at Christmas on the moon.

Joshua brought a hand to gently rest on her shoulder. “Exactly that one. Come on, soldier. Leave that bow of yours behind. It’s about time we brought out the big guns.”

● ● ●

“Ahh… It seems our intrepid protagonist has finally deigned to arrive. I was beginning to worry he wouldn’t show up. It seems life on Civvy Street has done little to dull his edge.”

“He’ll be here, asshole. You can count on it. And when he does, he’s gonn’ fuck you up so bad that when he’s done which’u, there ain’t gonn’ be enough left of yo’ punk-ass to send back to hell.”

“Tough words. Right now, my friend, I would pray that your confidence in him is not sorely misplaced - for everyone’s sake.”

● ● ●

As the pair stood outside the door, Joshua typed in a four-digit code into the door’s access panel which promptly granted them access into this veritable cave of wonders.

Ariana blinked in utter dismay. “The passcode was ‘1111’ all this time?”

Her father gave her an amused look. “Well, you don’t want to use a code that you’re likely to forget in an emergency, right?”

Without another word on the topic, the girl stepped forth into the treasure room and immediately, her eyes were met by a fully-stocked arsenal of high-tech murder weapons carefully displayed on racks, shelves and crates. There were pulse rifles, laser rifles, and sniper rifles. Shotguns stacked atop of handguns, gatling guns, and submachine guns. Flamethrowers sat next to throwing blades, battle axes led to bombs, and bazookas. Grenades laid in neat rows, followed by grenade launchers, RPGs and BFGs. Some weapons looked so outlandish that she couldn’t even imagine what the hell they did. It was like all of Ariana’s birthdays and Christmases were happening at once.

“Welcome to the armoury, soldier. The previous occupants of this ship were… pirates, you could say, and so it was pretty generous of them to have bestowed us with such an impressive haul.”

Ariana scanned the racks with childlike awe, unable to decide which shiny new toy to beg her parents to buy for her. “So, which guns are we gonna take with us, Dad?”

Joshua reached over and lifted a Desert Eagle and an adjacent clip off one of the numerous shelves. He slammed home the magazine inside the grip and pulled back the slide to chamber a round with an intimidating, metallic clack.


	22. Chapter 22

The central complex of the Asterion was a vast Escherian megalopolis, filled with sterile laboratories, cruel testing facilities and treacherous obstacle courses for the various xenomorph specimens. Monolithic stalagmites of glass and steel protruded from every direction amidst a network of roads and rails, like enormous trees being slowly entangled by predatory vines. "Alpha Sector" was its name. A corrupted, dystopian cityscape that perfectly reflected the corrupted, dystopian nature of the Company itself.

The only inhabitants of this wicked city now were the feral xenomorphs that were busy converting it into an even more nightmarish environment - if that were imaginable. A vast cobweb of alien material draped the land as far as the eye could see. Various office spaces had been converted into nests, and every towering structure was now connected to its brethren by translucent resin, like ligaments adhered to bones. The ship’s mighty hyperengine continued to thrum like a beating heart, creating the impression of being inside the body of some great and unknowable creature. 

“A spectacular hunting ground,” Czh’cara remarked. “‘Tis a pity circumstances prevent me from truly enjoying myself here.”

“As soon as we accomplish our mission, you’re more than welcome to wantonly-slaughter everything in sight to your heart’s content,” Ellen replied. “Until then, Joshua and Ariana are our only priority.”

As the trio made their way throughout the city, the ground itself became coated in a thick layer of detritus: furniture, equipment, flesh, bones, skulls… all fused together with a translucent, epoxy-like substance. They then stopped in their tracks as they laid eyes upon a Gigeran mural of horror made up entirely of human bodies in carelessly-twisted positions, all locked together in frozen agony, akin to a macabre painting that may as well be depicting a scene from hell. They had all been brought here to be entombed alive, to become unwilling hosts for the monstrous embryos germinating within them. Some of the victims were already dead, as evidenced by their chests having exploded from the inside out.

“Seems my hypothesis was correct,” said Christopher as he gazed upon the wall of living death. “They _are_ all dead.”

“Not all,” replied Ellen.

“Please… someone… anyone… kill me…” came a feeble voice from one of the cocooned humans affixed to the wall. Christopher cautiously approached to investigate the source of the plea: a balding male in a white lab coat with his head hanging low as if in ardent prayer. “Please God… save me...”

“He’s alive! Quick, we have to help him!” the boy cried out.

“We’re not here for them. Let us leave this place,” said Ellen, coldly. Gazing upon the brutal nature of her own species brought conflicting feelings about which world she truly belonged to. On the one hand, she acknowledged the terrible torment and suffering these people had endured, but on the other hand, she also considered it quite natural. As horrific as it all seemed, it was ultimately a simple case of nature doing what it does, to call it evil would be dishonest. One cannot question the morality of a species that only does what it was made to do, what it needs to do in order to survive. She slowly lowered her head and turned away as she resigned herself to that fact that no evil had been committed here.

“Is someone there?” the man on the wall whimpered weakly. “Please, I’m begging you. You’ve got to help me…”

“Please, Mother. For me.”

“I promised your father that I would never again kill another human being.”

“This isn’t murder, its mercy! I studied the lifecycle of our species. No-one deserves to die this way.”

Didn’t they? After everything the Company has done, to both her and the galaxy at large, this seemed like poetic justice, a grim fate they brought upon themselves, and only had themselves to blame. She saw no reason to lift a finger to help any of them. “They got what they deserve.”

“Oh! It’s you…” the man said with half-open eyes as he raised his weary head. It was the scientist, Jerry. “It really is you. The famous and infamous Specimen 121. Ellen, right? I’m happy to see you weren’t the failure we thought you to be. In-fact, you’ve exceeded all our wildest expectations. You truly are one of a kind.”

Ellen approached the man and examined his face, which was covered in filth and dripped with translucent slime. “I remember you. You were one of the scientists that conducted experiments on me every day. Despite everything, you were always kind to me.”

“You have Joshua to thank for that. He never did approve of the way you were treated. As I recall, he even gave you the dignity of eating your food off a plate.”

Ellen smiled as she recalled that small act of kindness. “Yes. I remember that.”

“Apropos. How is Joshua? Not with you, I take it? He’s not dead, I hope.”

"It's a long story."

"Pity I don't have long enough to hear it. Listen, you have every right to detest my guts. I just want you to know that I’m so sorry for everything. I hope you can forgive me.”

“A deathbed always has a funny way of making men seek contrition for their sins. But I’m afraid it’ll take more than a couple of words to atone for what you’ve done. What good does asking for my forgiveness even do for you now? Are you afraid you’re going to hell? Well, if my forgiveness would spare you the hell you so rightfully deserve, then I think I’ll hold my tongue.”

“You’re absolutely right. I do deserve to go to hell. Perhaps I belong there. I only ask that you send me there quickly and painlessly.”

Czh’cara scanned the man’s body using the technology in her mask and saw the black silhouette of the alien larvae within him. “The embryo is still fully-dependent on the host. If he dies, it dies, too. One less _kiande amedha_ in the world for us to worry about.”

Ellen turned to face her son, who gave her a pleading look, then turned back to face the man on the wall.

“If it weren’t for you, Joshua and I would never have met, nor would he have felt compelled to rescue me from your cruel machinations. So for that... I forgive you.” 

With that, she swiftly sliced his throat wide open with the blade of her tail like a bullwhip. Crimson liquid gushed out from the wound like a geyser and splashed over Ellen’s face. She closed her mouth tightly, not wanting to remind herself of the taste of human blood. Jerry's eyes were wide as saucers as he let out a gurgling, sputtering choke before his head once again slumped down lifelessly. It wasn’t completely painless, but it was still preferable to the alternative.

“Farewell,” she said as she gazed at the warm pool of blood in her hand.

Christopher reached over to place a delicate hand on her shoulder. “He would have been grateful to hear you say that.”

“I wasn’t speaking to him. I was bidding farewell to a part of me that was human.”

“You did the right thing, Ellen,” said Czh’cara. “A clean death is something people seldom receive in life.”

“Spare me your empty platitudes. From what I understand about you, you seem to take great pleasure in prolonging the suffering of your prey in your sadistic hunting rituals. Joshua suffered greatly by your hand, did he not? Though, I suppose I should thank you for taking your sweet time working him over. Allowing him a chance to fight back at least ensured his own survival. A lesser man would have surely died in agony.” 

Czh’cara didn’t offer a response. She simply stood there as she realized the hypocrisy of her own words. 

“Let’s go,” said Ellen, coldly, as she promptly resumed her journey. “We’ve wasted too much time here, already.” 

“You go your way, Ellen. I will find your Joshua on my own.”

“Wha-What are you saying, Cara?” the boy stammered as he turned to face his beloved. “You’re leaving me?”

“This isn’t a goodbye. As it stands, this quest would benefit from our going separate ways for a short time. But worry not, my sweet protector. I promise you, the threads of our lives will cross again very soon, and when they do, they will never again come unknotted. But for now, she needs you more. Stay by her side and help her through this, okay?”

“But you don’t know the way…”

“Don’t underestimate me. I have my methods of tracking down elusive prey. I swear I will be just fine.” 

“Nothing I say will convince you to stay, will it?”

“Once a female Yautja has made up her mind, there’s no changing it. We’re a stubborn species like that.” Her mandibles opened wide as she gave him another passionate kiss on the mouth whilst running her taloned fingers through his jet-black hair. They both savoured the kiss as much as they could in order to take as much sweet taste of the other with them. Finally, their faces reluctantly parted and the huntress looked into his green eyes as he in turn peered deeply into her sapphire ones. 

“Goodbye, Christopher. I will love you for all time.”

● ● ●

As the outer airlock hatch of the Costaguana opened up, Joshua and Ariana walked out carrying enough firepower to take out an entire army - which was precisely what they had in mind. The man carried two large rifles upon his back, pistols holstered to his legs, knives and grenades adorned his body armour, in one hand he held a minigun, and in the other, a large duffel bag tightly crammed with other miscellaneous weaponry and ammunition. Walking close beside him, Ariana held a pulse rifle tightly in her hands. They both looked around at the scene of destruction they’d wrought, as well as keeping a sharp eye out for any surviving hostiles. 

“A stealthy approach was more your mother's style,” he said. “I always preferred to make a grand entrance.” Suddenly, Josh felt something hard press against the back of his head.

Click.

“Your enemies thank you for that.” Not even five feet away from the ship and already someone was pointing a gun at him, and with both his hands full, he didn’t have time to try any fancy martial arts moves to disarm them. Fuck. “But now they know you’re here and they can adjust their plans accordingly. I honestly can’t tell if you’re really smart or really stupid.” The voice was feminine with a thick Russian accent, and didn’t give off the impression of trying to sound intimidating, more like playful sarcasm.

“Dad!” Ariana almost jumped out of her boots at the unknown assassin in defense of her father, but he reacted quickly to dispel that idea. 

“At ease, soldier!” he ordered as he raised his arm to block her path. “Don’t give this bitch a reason to shoot. If she wanted me dead, she wouldn’t have bothered to flap her gums. Seems like I’m gonna have to play captive for a while.”

“You can relax. The gun isn’t loaded,” she reassured him as she reholstered her sidearm. “I just wanted to grab your attention. I always prefered a stealthy approach and a grand entrance at the same time.”

Joshua turned around to see a young girl with black hair in a pixie cut. Her once beautifully-constructed visage was fractured and broken, with milk-like liquid staining her clothes and flawless, artificial skin. His initial desire to kill her faded away upon seeing her in this sorry state.

"Private Joshua Briggs, I presume?” she asked, cheerily. “Though, you did relinquish your rank after you went AWOL, so I suppose it's just Mr. Briggs now.”

“‘Josh’ is fine.”

“It truly is an honour to meet you. My ship, cocooned as it was, I thought I'd be entombed forever. Lucky for me that you arrived to solve my little pest problem in one fell swoop."

“I’m honoured and you’re welcome.”

“Just who the hell are you, lady?” Ariana blurted out.

The girl smiled - at least, she made her best attempt to smile, given the brutal condition of her face. “My name is Anna. I can’t believe I finally found you after all this time. It’s just a shame I won't be able to collect the reward money.”

“I should have known they’d send bounty hunters after us. Though, you look more like an actress pretending to be one.”

“What’s wrong with your face?” asked Ariana. “Is that what humans really look like on the inside?”

“She’s not human. She’s an android: a robot that’s designed to mimic humans in every way.” She tried her best to hide just how much his harsh words pained her, though he wasn’t exactly wrong in his description. “Never heard of a synth being trained as a sniffer dog before. Though, It does make sense. Can’t have feelings getting in the way of the job.”

“I was just moonlighting as a bounty hunter. I’m actually an agent of the Intergalactic Investigations Agency. I had intended to take down the Company, but now I've settled for good old-fashioned revenge.”

“What happened to you, Anna?” Being the first person she’d ever met outside of her immediate family, Ariana’s inquisitive nature had gotten the better of her.

“We picked up a passenger out in deep space. At first, he was practically banging on Death's door. Then before any of us even saw it coming, he was fully regenerated and walking around as good as new. And to show his appreciation for being spared an eternity out there, the fucking bastard murdered my friends and left me for dead after having his wicked way with me - or so he believed. Fortunately for me, I'm something of a survivor, too. As big as he is, he came up rather short in that department.”

A dread expression fell upon Joshua’s stoic visage. “This passenger. Lemme guess: big guy with a bigger ego and a penchant for Bible quotes?” The question was rhetorical, since he already knew the answer.

“It seems you two have already met. Yes, Rene Cortez, as he claimed his name was, did happen to mention a certain ‘Company Man’ that he found particularly bothersome. You did quite a number on him. Seems I’m not the only one here seeking revenge.”

“Shit.”

“From the moment of our arrival, he assumed full control of the entire mothership. If he didn’t know you were here before, he certainly does now.”

“Shit.”

“And knowing Rene, he's fortified himself in the one place where you couldn't destroy him without also destroying yourself.”

“The main reactor. Shit.”

“Precisely. If you engage him there in combat, your formidable firepower could inadvertently set off a thermonuclear explosion.”

“We don’t exactly need to engage him in combat at all. All I’m here to do is locate my wife and son, then get the hell out of dodge before the cavalry arrives. They'll find this place sooner or later. You don't lose track of a multi-trillion dollar intergalactic mothership without someone asking questions.”

“Unfortunately, during the ensuing chaos, no distress beacon or escape pod was permitted to leave the mothership. Doubtless, Rene had a part to play in that as well. Probably wanted as many people to suffer and die as possible. Others may find this ship one day, but by then, it'll be too late. The spread of xenomorphs will be impossible to contain. We’re talking about an infestation of global proportions. Should some hapless explorers find this planet, it could be the Nostromo all over again. We absolutely must destroy the Asterion ourselves as soon as possible.”

“Then it seems a thermonuclear explosion is precisely what we need. We just don’t want to be here when it happens. Good thing I brought a bomb with me for such an eventuality. I’ll place it somewhere among the heat exchangers, then give ourselves enough time on the clock to rescue Ellen and Christopher before this whole place becomes radioactive dust. You don’t happen to know where they are, do ya?”

“So it is true, after all,” she said with a sly grin. “You really did have sex with the xenomorph. You humans never cease to amaze me.” 

“Hey, I don't need to justify myself to you, lady. Either tell me where they are or our conversation is over.”

“Relax, it was a joke. But to answer your question, I observed the three of them coming through here, and now I believe they’re currently on-route to Rene's present location.”

“ _‘Three’_? Who else is with them?”

“Hell if I know. I guess they made a new friend along the way. I'll try and hack into the ship’s central mainframe to try and clear a path for you straight to the core room. The bugs, you’ll just have to deal with on your own.”

“I don’t think so, lady. You’re coming with us. I don't trust you nearly enough to leave you alone with our ship.”

“Believe it or not, Josh, but I don't want to die, and in my current condition, I’ll only slow you down. I’ll stay behind to keep your ship free of beasties while you're gone, as well as remotely assist you in navigating the labyrinth.”

“How do I know you won't just take off with our ship to save your own ass?”

“Look, I may be synthetic but I'm not soulless. I wouldn't dream of stranding you and your family in the middle of this nightmare. Besides, if escape is all I wanted, I could have simply taken off in my own ship. But if you still don’t think you can trust me, have your daughter remain behind to keep a close eye on me. I don’t believe you really want her to accompany you where you’re going anyway, do you?”

“Hey, don’t even think about it!” Ariana voiced in protest, as she knew exactly where this conversation was heading. “I’m not staying behind after everything we’ve been through like some weak and useless child! You need me with you, Dad! You said you couldn’t do this by yourself, remember?”

The man looked down at his precious daughter, who in turn, glared up at him with defiance. Just like her mother, there was no way she was going to take ‘no’ for an answer. “Like it or not, Ariana is coming with me. I need her, and I trust her to be able to handle herself. You can stay here and keep in contact with us from the ship.”

“Since we might never see each-other again, tell me one thing, Josh: why did you do it? Why did you steal the xenomorph and come all the way to this planet?”

The man looked at her as if she had just asked the most obvious question ever. “For love.”

“Well, I guess that’s as good a reason as any. Perhaps it’s the best reason of all.”

“Now lemme me ask you something, Anna: why are you helping us?”

“A friend once warned me of the dangers of allowing your feelings to cloud your better judgement. But right now, you’re the only one who can help me. Some believed you were a defector who planned to sell the xenomorph to a third party, but now that I see you with my own eyes, I think you're just a man who followed his heart and tried to do the right thing. I can relate to that. And someone who risks his life to save the people he loves can’t be all that bad.”

● ● ●

“I took the liberty of crating all the food, clothes, weapons and medical supplies from my ship as I could. You're more than welcome to take them since I wont be needing them anymore.”

“Thanks, I guess. But what about you? Where will you go once this is all over? We can't exactly drop you off at the nearest starbase.”

“Apprehending you was one of my mission directives. If my superiors should ask if I ever saw you, my programming will compel me to answer truthfully. When they learn I allowed you to escape, they will certainly ‘retire’ me. I suppose that would be for the best seeing as I didn’t make for a particularly-good bounty hunter or an IIG agent, anyway.”

“Well, there's room for one more on the old starship, Costaguana,” Josh said as he motioned his thumb towards his ship.

“Yeah! You can stay with us, Anna!”

“That's very sweet of you, and far too generous. But I couldn’t impose--”

“Don't be ridiculous,” Josh interrupted, but not in an aggressive way. “I won’t have you destroyed simply because you exercised an act of human compassion. You're doing all you can to help save my family, as I'm concerned, that makes you family, too.”

The synthetic female lowered her fractured face and smiled at the unwarranted sympathy from her former bounty. “You’ve known me for all of two minutes and already you’re offering me a place to live. What would your wife even say about having a complete stranger sitting at your dinner table? Perhaps even cooking your meals?”

“You just let me worry about Ellen. We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. For now, just pack your belongings and say your farewells. You’re coming with us, Anna, and on this matter, I won't be taking ‘no’ for an answer. Just lock the door behind you and keep the engine hot. We’ll be back in no time.”

“A parting word, “Anna called out to them as they headed off on their quest. “Be careful in there, you two. You’re up against more than you could possibly know. I can’t lie to you about your chances, but… you have my empathy.”


	23. Chapter 23

“Can you hear me, Josh? At the end of this corridor, you’ll arrive at a T-junction,” a voice crackled against static through the man’s earpiece. “Take a right and continue straight down until you come to a set of steel doors at the far end. I’ll open them when you get there.”

“Copy that, Anna,” he replied as he slowly led the way down the dark, shimmering, organic labyrinth of corridors, corners, and ravaged offices with Ariana sticking close to his side like a frightened lamb. Only the unreliable flickering of halogen bulbs and a shoulder-mounted torch offered any semblance of light as Anna remotely provided them safe passage through the maze towards the reactor chamber, and hopefully, to his beloved Ellen. 

“Fucking stairs, man. What does the tracker say?”

“No signs of any nearby movement... according to this thing, anyway,” Ariana gulped as she swung the tracking device around in all directions in a state dread paranoia.

“That’s good, but just remember to stay frosty. Xenos have a knack for hiding in the shadows and blending in with the environment. Just because you don’t see ‘em, doesn’t mean we aren’t alone."

“Dad, you’re not exactly doing my nerves any favours by talking like that.”

“I’m just sayin’, science plus curiosity minus morality equals a world of hurt. You know, funnily enough, officially, this ship, her crew, and everything they've been doing doesn't exist,” he explained. “This whole starship is a massive black box of government and military secrets, primarily designed for experimenting with xenomorphic DNA; to discover it’s limitations and potentiality as a bioweapon. To say your genes are adaptive would be an understatement. They experimented with all kinds of different hosts in this place. Humans, mammals, reptiles, birds. The lions, the tigers, the bears... Oh, my. The insect-variety were particularly nasty fuckers, too. You ever see a spider-xenomorph and you'll never sleep again. What it did to that poor gorilla. There ain’t enough alcohol in the world to erase that memory.”

They finally came to stop at the set of steel doors Anna mentioned before. The pair halted in their tracks and placed their weapons and cargo on the ground in order to take a quick respite. “Damn, it’s hotter in here than it is outside. If the xenos don’t kill us, the goddamn humidity will,” Josh said as he wiped away the salty sweat from his dripping face. “How are you holding up, kiddo?”

“I’m fine, Dad. Actually, I don’t feel tired at all.”

“Must be all that latent xeno-strength inside you. Pretty soon, you’ll be as strong as your mother.”

“Can you still sense Mom from here?”

“Faintly, but surely. That at least confirms she’s still alive. In that case, we should press on as soon as possible, and not to be outdone by a two-year-old, but if you can keep going, so can I.” He lifted his hand up and pressed his finger against the earpiece of his communicator. “Hey, Anna, we’re at the doors. You gonna let us through or what?” No response. “Anna, do you copy? Over. God damn it! The walls must be interfering with the signal. Looks like we’re on our own, kiddo.”

“How the hell are we supposed to get through these doors?”

“I don’t know, and I don’t particularly want to start backtracking, either. If this was the right path, then we need to find a way through.”

“Maybe there’s something in one of these rooms that will help us,” she said as she reached for the panel on one of the adjacent doors. 

“Wait, I’ll do it,” he interjected and pulled out the Desert Eagle from the holster on his leg. “Get behind me.” The girl obeyed and promptly shielded herself behind him. Positioning the gun in the air ready for action, he placed his hand on the control panel, causing the putrid smell of burnt flesh and gunpowder to waft out from the room. Ariana coughed and heaved as the revolting fragrance assaulted her senses. Inside the room, they gazed upon the source of the offensive smell: laying in a pool of blood and offal was a large pile of slaughtered human corpses, all carved up by high caliber machine gun bullets. Their limbs and flesh hacked and torn away and their mutilated faces locked in frozen agony - what was left of them, anyway.

“They certainly weren’t killed by xenos,” Josh noted, sarcastically. “Unless they learned how to use guns, this must be Rene’s handiwork.”

“Did you know these people, Dad?”

“Maybe. It’s hard to tell who they are anymore. I suppose there’s some solace in knowing they probably died instantly. Better to die this way than the alternative, I guess.”

Suddenly, a clanking of metal from further down the corridor snapped him back to attention, followed by another scuttling sound coming from the opposite direction. “Looks like we’ve got company. The smell of blood must have drawn them here.” 

With no other rooms and no other choice, he holstered the Desert Eagle and quickly lifted the equipment and silently motioned Ariana back inside the office. After closing the door behind him, they scrambled to barricade it with a large, heavy desk and every other piece of furniture not nailed to the floor. The only thing they didn’t resort to using was the pile of bodies, though the thought did cross his mind. Josh knew it wouldn’t be nearly enough to keep them out forever, but it would at least help to bottleneck them and focus their line of fire.

“Daddy… I’m scared…” said the petrified girl as the rifle violently trembled in her hands.

“It’ll be okay, sweetheart.” Ignoring the pain in his leg, he bent down to rummage through the duffel bag. “Put that thing down, soldier. This situation calls for something a bit more powerful,” he said as he pulled out an intimidating laser rifle. “It’s easy. You just point the business end at your target and squeeze the trigger.”

The collective sounds of multiple approaching footsteps and insectile hissing grew louder and closer until they were now right outside the door. Joshua held his breath and raised his minigun as he prepared to engage the enemy. His only regret right now was bringing his daughter along to die with him. He knew from the start that she should have been kept on the ship with Anna. He scolded himself for exercising such a lack of better judgement. After all, she’s his only daughter, not a soldier. 

“Ariana… forgive me,” he thought to himself.

“Don’t beat yourself up, Daddy,” she whispered back. “After all, it was my choice to be here at your side. I couldn’t let you face this terrible place all alone.”

“You can hear my thoughts now, eh?” 

A smile formed on the young girl’s porcelain-white face. “Thank you for being so strong, Daddy. I feel less scared when I’m with you. There’s even a part of me that believes we’ll make it through this and we’ll all be together again.”

“We will, baby girl. I promise you that. Whatever comes through that door is gonna have to go through me to get to you.”

The tender moment was interrupted as something very large pounded against the door with enough force to put a dent in it and push the entire barricade back. Ariana was so startled by the sudden bang that she nearly screamed and opened fire. 

“Easy soldier,” said Josh, calmly. “Not just yet.”

 _BANG!_ Neither the steel door nor barricade would be able to hold out for much longer at this rate.

“This is it,” he said as he braced himself and rested his minigun on his hip. “Ready…”

_BANG!_

“Aim…”

Suddenly, a frantic cacophony filled the air as the aliens on the other side of the door roared out in agony, as though they were being violently attacked by something far deadlier than them. A cannibalistic xenomorph in search of a meal, perhaps? Whatever it was, it was at least doing them the favour of whittling down their numbers and saving them the trouble of wasting precious ammunition. One enemy is better than two or more. Eventually, the savage sounds of slamming, scratching, slicing and screeching outside became deathly silent. Until...

_Tap. Tap. Tap._

“What the fuck?” they both uttered in unison as something rapped on the door.

“Xenos aren’t usually prone to manners and etiquette...” said Josh. “Hello?” he called out but was met with silence. “Help me move this stuff outta the way..”

“You’re going outside?!” she exclaimed in disbelief. “Whatever’s out there just took out two xenomorphs by hand!”

“We can’t stay in here forever. Besides, they say the enemy of your enemy is your friend.”

“Or another, worser enemy!”

“Perhaps. But at least it’ll just be the one enemy this time.”

After throwing aside the miscellaneous clutter and heaving away the heavy office desk, Josh cautiously pried open the dented door. The deadly acidic fumes from the deceased aliens’ butchered bodies began to waft into the room, forcing the pair out into the open before they inhaled too much of it. Avoiding the gaping hole in the floor from where the xenomorph carcasses had melted through, Josh turned back and forth in search of their unexpected ally but no-one was there. He didn’t exactly know whether to be concerned or relieved by that fact.

“Alright, it looks like the coast is clear. Let’s get moving. If I remember rightly, the administration area isn’t all that far from the central hub.”

A startling, metallic clank echoed from down the hall, causing both Josh and Ariana to whip around like meerkats and ready their weapons. Another xenomorph yet melted out from the shadowy veil like reflective black liquid. Joshua almost squeezed his trigger at the sight of it until he noticed the creature looked decidedly-familiar. As it casually swayed over to them, he saw it possessed female anatomy, such as glossy breasts and genitalia. It sashayed seductively as it walked, giving it a very arousing-yet-nightmarish appearance. Portions of its body splashed with light like a highly-polished latex catsuit. Ariana’s obsidian eyes widened and her bladed tail swayed like an excited dog’s as she gradually lowered her battle rifle. 

“Mommy? Is that you?” 

Josh immediately knew something was wrong when he realized he couldn’t sense Ellen’s familiar aura emanating from this thing. He also noticed the absence of her treasured pearl necklace around its neck, something which he knew Ellen wouldn’t be caught dead not wearing. “That’s not your mother,” he thought to himself, but before he had time to put it into words, Ariana was already off and sprinting full-tilt down the long corridor towards the doppelgänger. “It’s Mom! She came back to save us!” Time stretched to nightmarish crawl. He couldn’t fire his weapon with her in the way, inadvertently using herself as a meat shield. All the man could do was helpless watch as his daughter charged straight to the arms of certain death with childlike abandon, unaware that the being she had mistaken for her beloved mother was, in a sense, her aunt: a failed experiment in human-xeno hybridization that only resembled her image but lacked her sentience.

**“ARIANAAAAAAAAA”**

Events unfolded in slow motion as the distance between them quickly narrowed, Ariana’s joyous expression shifted into one of concern, then terror, her smile now agape in fear. “Mom...?” The monster she was fast-approaching parted it’s lips and bared a menacing row of silver daggers and a flood of saliva as it let out a threatening hiss. She tried to brake to a stop but was being pulled forward against her will by her own momentum towards the beast. The xenomorph then raised up it’s claws and tail in an attack posture and opened wide it’s maw, preparing to eviscerate and devour the child.

_SNAP!_

The creature chomped down hard like a striking cobra, but the only thing it was rewarded with was the taste of stale air. Transfixed in confusion, Ariana found herself being hurtled down the corridor like a pitched baseball. Right before the moment she slammed into the alien, an invisible force grabbed her by the scruff of the collar and threw her away like a weightless ragdoll into the arms of her father, who somehow managed to drop his gear and dash over and catch her just in the nick of time. As Josh caught Ariana in his arms like a rugby ball, they forcefully-slumped to the ground from the impact in an undignified heap.

“You okay?! What the hell just happened?” Josh asked in a frenzy, but all Ariana could do was stare blankly, stiff with wide-eyed shock. They then whipped their heads back down the hall towards the xenomorph.

The alien - now majorly pissed off from having been deprived of it’s meal - spat and shrieked loudly at the couple. Josh was suddenly gripped with panic and frantically reached for the Glock in his holster. Suddenly, the air in front of the creature began to shimmer like rippled glass as an alveolar trill filled the air. Then the creature’s entire body was violently hoisted up by the throat, then swung around hard like an Olympic hammer straight into the wall with an explosion of painful cracks. The xenomorph, momentarily stunned from the force, thrashed and flailed it’s arms, legs and tail wildly like a dying insect.

The alien’s body then began to levitate high in the air before slamming down hard on ground with another piercing, agonizing crunch. It squealed in pain as flecks of acidic blood spurted from its mouth. It was like the alien was being attacked by a ghost with a personal grudge against xenomorphs. It could barely move at this point. Feebly slithering along the ground like a dying serpent was all it could do before it’s head was violently yanked up by it’s invisible assailant. From seemingly out of thin air, a set of long serrated blades slid into existence with a sharp “shink” sound, which then swung around and effortlessly sliced through the xenomorph’s neck like a hot knife through butter, severing it from the neck completely. Smatterings of acid blood sizzled and bubbled as it sprayed against the wall and polished-tile floor. It’s pulverized body slumped like a heavy sack, yet it’s smooth, elongated head still floated impossibly in the air.

“First aliens, now ghosts,” Josh remarked with a complete lack of surprise, as if anything could surprise him anymore. “There’s never a dull moment.” 

The floating, decapitated head of Ellen’s ‘sister’ rotated around like it was being visually-examined for imperfections before falling to the ground, as if being discarded unceremoniously, right next to the cadaver. From what little they could see of near-invisible form, it appeared that the shimmering specter directed its attention to them, rose from a crouching position and began walking down the hallway towards them. Was it planning on making their own heads its next set of trophies? Not if Joshua had anything to say about it. 

Though the existence of aliens had long since been confirmed, he wasn’t yet prepared to accept the existence of the paranormal, and reasoned that whatever this thing was was made up of flesh and blood, and thus, could be annihilated. He promptly sprang to his feet and aimed his Glock 41 at the oncoming figure, whose inexorable pace didn’t even falter. Josh wasn’t sure if this translucent thing coming straight at him could even speak, let alone be reasoned with, but he would at least give it a shot before actual shots started firing and drawing more unwanted company to their location.

“Hold it right there, asshole!” he bellowed. To his surprise, the apparition obeyed his command and stopped dead in its tracks just a few feet away. So, it did possess some level of intelligence, after all. Despite its apparent obedience, he wasn’t ready to lower his guard just yet, and kept his weapon poised with his finger on the trigger. “Take one more step and we’ll see if ghosts can bleed!”

“Jaw-shoo-wah..,” it spoke in a trill, feminine voice. 

He squeezed his eye and shook his head, refusing to believe what he’d just heard. “What did you say?”

Answering only with another trilled snarl, the being carefully moved its right hand up and placed it delicately upon its left wrist. Josh barked another order to freeze, much like a cop apprehending a suspect. This time, however, the being did not obey him. From what he could tell, the glass-like entity appeared to be adjusting something on it’s wrist, and he was sure as hell it wasn’t winding a watch. A weapon of some kind, perhaps? But before he could react, an all-too-familiar acquaintance decloaked into the visible spectrum - one that Josh assumed had perished and had long-since forgotten, though the numerous scars he’d received served well as mementos of the occasion.

Revealed before them now was a tall, broad female. Her cyan skin patterned with white spots. Her thick legs donned with black thigh length boots. Her toned arms sleeved with black gloves. Her back draped with long dreadlocks. Her voluptuous breasts bound behind tight leather. Her face resembling a mix between a reptile and a crab. And on her abbed stomach, a battle scar, a memento that he had generously given her to permanently remember him by.

“You!” Joshua yelled. It was the same alien assassin that came so close to murdering him and his son back in the jungle.

The alien woman fell to her knees and held up her hands in surrender, her head low in submission. “I not en-eh-me, Jaw-shoo-wah..,” she spoke quietly, to the best of her ability to speak English. “I _fél_... friend. I will not harm you. I tay k’yu to Ell-en and Chris-taw-phaw...”

“What...” He had the pistol mere inches away from her considerably-large cranium, yet these broken words caused him to hesitate in his overwhelming desire to repaint the wall with her brains. “What the fuck did you just say?”

Ariana cautiously approached the alien woman, all whilst wisely keeping her rifle trained on her. “You know my Mom and brother?” 

“Be careful, Ariana,” said Josh. “Don’t get too close. This is the bitch that attacked us before. For all we know, this might be a trick to get us to lower our guard. I should put a bullet in her skull right now for what she's put us through.”

“I _tay k’yu_..,” the stranger repeated. “Trust me.”

“To them?” said Ariana. “You’ll take us to Mom and Chris? You know where they are?”

“Yes… I know…”

“We don’t need her help, Ariana,” said Josh. “We don’t know a goddamn anything about her, and we simply can’t take the risk that she won’t kill us the first chance she’d get.”

“But Dad, she already had the chance to kill us. She had no reason to save me and surrender herself to us like this. What could she possibly stand to gain from deceiving us?”

“How the hell should I know? She’s an alien, who the fuck knows how their thinking works?”

“She saved our lives for a reason, Dad. I believe she’s telling the truth, and if she really does want to show us the way, then we shouldn’t outright reject her offer. After all, we’ve wasted enough time wandering around in circles. We need a guide.”

Josh looked at the woman then back to Ariana, then back again. He scoffed and exhaled sharply through his teeth in exasperation. Despite his insatiable need for revenge his enemy, he was still a soldier, and soldiers don’t callously-murder combatants who are peacefully surrendering. “Fine,” he said as he withdrew his gun and holstered it. “Guess this is the mysterious ‘number three’ that Anna mentioned before. Hey, Pussyface. Do you understand what I’m saying? _¿Hablas inglés?_ ”

“Chrisss teech ooman words... I un-der-stand... Poosyface,” she sneered and rattled her mandibles.

“Funny. Then un-der-stand this, wiseass: You try to pull that same bullshit you did back in the jungle and I’ll gut you like a fish again. _Capesh_?”

The alien woman said nothing. She did, however, feel a certain rush at his temper. No-one, save her own father, had ever spoken to her in such a manner, prey least of all, and it made her feel slightly flustered, her heart skipping a beat, and her face feeling a sudden rush of heat. She decided to hold her peace for the greater good as she rested on her knees, submissively, with Joshua’s crotch inches away from her face. Try as she might, she couldn’t help but find herself stealing glances at it, and admire the size of it. It was far bigger than Christopher’s - not that he was lacking - so she took a moment to fantasize about what it would feel like to have it deep inside her. Just the thought of it was starting to make her loins moist. He had already proven himself to be a strong, cunning, and resourceful warrior who already managed to mate with a _kiande amedha_ , who knew what else he was capable of. 

“What’s your name?” asked Ariana, snapping her out of her pleasant daydream.

“‘Name’?” she asked.

“Yeah, name. I’m Ariana Briggs,” she explained, putting her palm on her chest. “And this is my Dad, Joshua.”

“Czh'cara jshaska Ķhal’khalkar,” she replied, suddenly catching her meaning.

“Wow, that’s a pretty cool name! What planet are you from? How did you turn invisible like that? How come your blades didn’t melt when you cut that alien’s head off? How did you find us? How did you--”

“The interview can wait until later,” Josh interrupted. “But there is one thing I want to know now, though: what you were doing with my wife and son? Last time we met, you were trying to kill us. What’s changed since then? Why are you suddenly helping us?”

“Chris-taw-phaw… _palafertiilam_ …”

“What the hell does that mean?”

The Yautja sneered with frustration at the communication barrier. “You… Ell-en... Me... Chrisss-taw-phaw…”

Then the realization fell on him like a ton of bricks. “Oh, you gotta be fucking kidding me.”

“What are you saying? That you’re Christopher’s... what, girlfriend?” asked Ariana.

Czh'cara merely smiled, smugly - well, what could best be described as a smile, given the limits of her facial features.

“And have you two... you know..,” Josh began to ask, but as he looked upon her seductive form, he realised the obviousness of the answer. “Of course you have. Ah, fuck it. Who am I to judge? Well, he’s got taste, I’ll give him that. And since you’re still alive, it can only mean Ellen trusts you, too.”

“I can’t believe that lazy bookworm actually managed to land himself a girlfriend. Lucky bastard.”

“Stranger things have happened. Very well, Shaska or whatever you said your name was,” said Josh as he proffered a hand to help up to her feet, but Czh’cara simply stared at the gesture in confusion, human idiosyncrasies still being something of a mystery to her. “Never mind,” he said as he closed his fist and retracted it. “Anyway, it seems we got off on the wrong foot, but I’m willing to let bygones be bygones. You lead us the way to Ellen and Chris, and I’ll consider our little tiff to be water under the bridge. What do you say?”


End file.
